


My Spatula Against Your Knuckles

by LostInTheStanning



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, HyungWonho - Freeform, Hyungwon is sassy, JooHyuk, Kihyun cooks, Love, M/M, Minhyuk does everything else, Pretty sure there’s gangsters across the street, Showki, Tattoo Artist Changkyun, There might be fluff, Violence, gang members - Freeform, hacker jooheon, restaurant, smut MAYBE
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:49:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 45,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23546416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostInTheStanning/pseuds/LostInTheStanning
Summary: What happens when two men who always kept their nose clean open a ramen restaurant in a neighborhood swimming with gangsters? Aside from high blood pressure there’s bound to be shenanigans. The two men are stubborn and refuse to be scared of the gangsters. Not realizing this makes them far more intriguing than they’d like.(AU: Kihyun owns a restaurant with Minhyuk that catches the attention of the neighborhood gangsters who aren’t as they seem.)
Relationships: Chae Hyungwon/Lee Hoseok | Wonho, Lee Jooheon/Lee Minhyuk, Son Hyunwoo | Shownu/Yoo Kihyun
Comments: 257
Kudos: 389





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Another AU I’m sorry! Twitter @InStanning

_It all started with a dream. As many things do. And a very picky male who can never find a good bowl of ramen. Obviously that meant he needed to make the perfect ramen because he wasn’t getting any younger. So he roped in his best friend of many, many years and their model friend to invest in a business. Their business. Minhyuk loved eating Kihyun’s food and he would never turn down an opportunity to eat it on a daily basis. Plus if he had to work at one more convenience store he was going to scream._

_The problem with starting a business is finding a location and being able to afford it. Beggars can’t be choosers right? After a very exhaustive search they managed to find a modest little building that would suit their goal. And who cares if the neighborhood is frightening at night? Or that the old lady who owns the tea shop next door said she’d pray for them. Or that there’s a very suspicious tattoo studio across the street always full of scary men? Scary but attractive men. At least the tattoo artist is nice, weird, but nice._

_Kihyun is stubborn and proud; he’s not about to let small details like those mentioned scare him. Oh no when he has a goal in mind he’s like an alligator that won’t let go. Minhyuk is very aware of this and is usually ready to go down with him. Even if it means they may eventually get hit by a pipe. You see there’s a tall, tattooed male who has sudden taken an interest in the short, grouchy man known as Kihyun. Always watching him and smirking. It’s annoying. He seems to be in charge of something and always has equally tattooed men around him._

_What will this mean to Kihyun and Minhyuk? Will their restaurant suddenly catch fire? Will they be extorted? Will that stupidly good looking man stop staring for five seconds? Kihyun has zero answers but that will never stop him._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kihyun and Minhyuk are all excited to open their ramen restaurant! Except maybe those guys are going to be a problem that was unforeseen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am having too much fun making Hyunwoo cocky and confident :333 so different from how I usually write him. I hope you like it!

“Kihyunnie I’m hungry!”

Kihyun closed his eyes and counted to ten. Minhyuk was dramatically laying across a table and whining. He knew his friend probably was hungry but they had so much to do before they opened. Kihyun glanced at Minhyuk, “You ate like an hour ago.” He flipped the page over of the paper he was using for inventory. He heard another dramatic whine. “Why must you be so cruel?” Minhyuk said before standing and stretching. Kihyun snorted loudly and rolled his eyes. Truly he loved his best friend and he would definitely feed him soon. Right after this inventory was checked. And maybe rechecked. 

How long had he been at this? His back was sore. It was dark out now and he was pretty sure the sun was out when they came. But that was life now with trying to get their restaurant open before next year. The place needed a lot of work and they had spent hours painting. And reupholstering the chairs. Kihyun had also ordered curtains. Yet there was still so much left to do it gave Kihyun a headache. He heard Minhyuk shuffle over to the front door of their restaurant so he could peer out. Kihyun had told him to stop being nosy but he never listened. 

“Hey Ki? Have you ever noticed that tattoo shop is always busy?” Minhyuk finally asked with a glance over his shoulder. Kihyun scribbled something down before he forgot and looked up, “Well I mean society is a tiny bit more accepting” He raised a brow, “Why?” There was probably a reason. A reason that was going to be ridiculous. He watched the white haired male continue to peer out. Kihyun had dyed his hair back to black to look professional. Not that Minhyuk had done the same. But then again his pretty face and friendly disposition would compensate. 

“It’s always the same guys! How many tattoos could they possibly need?!”

Kihyun rolled his eyes. Actually he had noticed that. But he wouldn’t entertain the wild thoughts Minhyuk was probably brewing. It wasn’t Kihyun’s business what anyone did with their body. And he’d briefly met the artist who was pretty friendly even if he was a bit weird. So he wasn’t about to judge anyone just because they clearly were good at what they did. I mean that was why right? Kihyun sighed in annoyance as his curiosity bubbled. “Oh oh that one guy is outside!” Minhyuk’s enthusiastic voice interrupted his thoughts. 

“That one guy?” Kihyun finally gave in to his curiosity. He stood and stretched before walking slowly to Minhyuk. “Yeah that emotionless guy who stares at you!” Minhyuk was way too excited about this. “He’s probably just curious about us hush.” He elbowed Minhyuk who laughed. He had noticed a tall, broad shouldered male across the street. His hair was short and dyed grey. His face was always either stoic or cocky looking when talking to the other tattooed guys. He was easy on the eyes for sure but Kihyun could smell trouble a mile away. He filed him under avoid at all costs. 

Kihyun almost jumped away from the door when he realized the grey haired man was standing out front of the tattoo shop with a bunch of guys. The outside lights illuminated him enough for Kihyun to just know he was looking back at them. A cigarette dangled between his lips and smoke came out of his nose like a dragon. A muscular guy who was a little shorter than the grey haired male gestured in their general location which made the others laugh. “Why am I even looking at them?” Kihyun grumbled and moved away from the door. Minhyuk was texting on his phone but smiled at Kihyun’s words. 

“Because they’re hot?” Minhyuk replied playfully and ignored the glare Kihyun gave him. “Wonnie is coming by tomorrow by the way.” He followed up his dumb comment with a not as dumb reveal. Kihyun nodded absentmindedly at Minhyuk and wondered how much work those two would even get done. 

—————————————————————

None. No work at all. Minhyuk and Hyungwon were the worst workers together. Kihyun wanted to pull his hair out. Especially when the two men whined about being hungry. Hyungwon’s long body was reclining in a chair while Minhyuk typed away on his phone. Kihyun stood nearby with an apron on over his black slacks and button up shirt. He rolled the sleeves to his elbows while scowling, “Why don’t you two go get lunch and let me work in peace?” He crossed his arms when the two men looked at him. “We’ll get you something!”

Kihyun was pretty sure he has never seen Hyungwon move that fast. Especially in tight pants. He rubbed at his temples but was happy with the quiet. He had a table covered in all sorts of papers and he stood with his hands on his hips while running numbers in his head. His brain hurt. He ran a hand through his hair when he heard the door open behind him. “Minnie I swear if you-“ Kihyun began saying as he turned and he felt his poor heart stop. It was him. Grey haired man. His cheeks were round close up and he had plush lips. But that damn stoic face was nerve wracking. 

Kihyun could see the tattoos on the man’s arms. He could see a hint of tattoos on his collarbones as well. The tight black t-shirt he was wearing left little to the imagination and honestly the black skinny jeans were worst. “Uh-Can I help you?” Damn that was definitely not confident sounding. The man smirked at him before glancing around. “So you’re the new owner?” At least his voice was nice. Kihyun’s eyes followed him as he strolled closer. “I’m one of them yes.” He responded and had the urge to smack the smirk off his face. 

The man nodded and looked closely at Kihyun. He felt a scowl growing on his face as the man’s eyes very obviously went from his face to his feet in a very slow way. He crossed his arms, “Anyways what can I help you with?” Kihyun had zero patience for this guy and his body perusing. He cocked his head to the side and studied Kihyun’s face again, “What’s your name?” Kihyun wondered vaguely if they were even speaking the same language. See this is why he stayed back in the kitchen. “Do you have selective hearing?” Kihyun actually didn’t plan on saying that but he was grumpy. 

The man laughed loudly at Kihyun’s response. Even if the laugh wasn’t annoying the reason he laughed probably was. Okay maybe Kihyun wasn’t very threatening but he had a vicious tongue when necessary. “If you don’t need anything please leave, I have a lot of work to do.” Kihyun turned his body back to his papers. It was only a moment before he felt a presence much closer. “You’re cute you know” The man said, “Much cuter than the last owner.” Kihyun contemplated hitting the man with a chair but he cleared his throat instead. 

“That’s great but you’re not my type, please leave.”

Kihyun gave the biggest, fakest smile he could even muster before scowling again. He heard the deep chuckle from the other. “You’re stubborn I like that” He turned on his heel and headed to the door with one last glance over his shoulder at Kihyun, “I’ll be seeing you again babe.” Would throwing a table at the guy be a good idea? Kihyun didn’t know and didn’t get to try as the man was already gone. He groaned and rubbed his temples. When Minhyuk gets back Kihyun is definitely going to drop kick him. Even if he wasn’t involved in that whole exchange. 

He didn’t wait long as two men scampered in quickly. Hyungwon was winded, not surprising, and Minhyuk looked nervous. “Ki I think we have a problem.” Minhyuk said as he deposited bags of takeout on the table Kihyun had been using. He raised a brow and finally glanced at his friends, “Is the problem Wonnie about to have a heart attack? How is that a problem.” He tried to hold the grin in as he asked and Hyungwon sneered at him. “No! Be nice but no! I think those guys across the street are bad guys” Minhyuk gestured wildly, “I ran in to that old lady next door and she said to be careful with them!” After that Minhyuk sat down heavily. 

Kihyun grinned now, “Okay but she’s probably just freaked out by the tattoos it’s nothing to worry about.” He waved a paper at Minhyuk who looked very unconvinced. “That muscular guy kept staring at me.” Hyungwon murmured while poking at his food. Kihyun looked back and forth before rolling his eyes, “Guys you’re freaking out for no reason okay? Everything is fine and we’ll open in two days.” He nodded and went back to filling out the last paperwork necessary. “Fine but I’m buying a bat.” Minhyuk said with a sniff and started shoveling noodles in his mouth. 

—————————————————————

Tomorrow was the day. The day they’d open. The day Kihyun and Minhyuk had worked tirelessly for. Kihyun finished the prep work for the morning in record time. He could hear Minhyuk singing out front as he cleaned the tables again. They had been at it all day and Kihyun felt grateful when the last of the prep was put away. “Min let’s go home!” He called from the kitchen and grinned at the excited dolphin squeal. He removed his apron and grabbed his coat so he could meet Minhyuk at the front door. 

The white haired male ran up immediately wrestling his arms in his coat. Kihyun clicked his tongue at him as they stepped outside. The air was cool but not so bad that they’d freeze. He turned to lock the door while Minhyuk hopped beside him. After a few seconds he noticed Minhyuk had stopped hopping. “Min?” He looked curiously at his friend before peering around him. He could see a small group of men nearby but it was hard to make out who they were exactly. They were definitely bigger than Kihyun though. 

“Told you I should have got a bat.” Minhyuk hissed but he kept a smile pasted on his face. Kihyun hummed at him as he pocketed the restaurant’s keys. After a few seconds the small group of men began moving towards them, speaking amongst themselves. Kihyun grabbed Minhyuk’s coat sleeve and tugged, steering the white haired male away. “Where ya goin!” A voice called out to a chorus of chuckles. Kihyun grimaced and felt his legs freeze when two men stepped out in front of him. He almost had a heart attack but realized it was that damn grey haired guy again. The muscular male stood by him with his arms crossed showing off very large biceps. 

Kihyun and the taller male had a three second stare down before he simply walked forward and moved around Kihyun. “Move along boys.” His voice called out as a lighter flicked. The muscular one sent them a smile as he stood there waiting. He felt Minhyuk squishing closer before the group of men said something rude and went back the way they came. He heard Minhyuk’s sigh of relief and looked at him. “Nunu-yah is this the cute guy?” The muscular male smiled wide and gestured at Kihyun. “Cute guy?!” Minhyuk’s loud whisper hit Kihyun’s ear. Nunu? 

“Yeah. It is.” Nunu as he was called turned around and exhaled smoke from his nose. He looked at Kihyun before cocking his head to the side, “Will you tell me your name now?” Kihyun raised a brow at the male. He felt Minhyuk nudge him, “This is Kihyun and we need to get home now okay bye!” Kihyun barely blinked before Minhyuk dragged him down the sidewalk like a bat out of hell. “Why’d you tell him my name?!” Kihyun hissed as his legs burned from keeping up with Minhyuk’s fast jog. “Hey he scared those idiots away I’d give him your social at this rate.” Kihyun looked offended but Minhyuk just ignored the look. 

—————————————————————

Kihyun couldn’t sleep. He was nervous and he was worried about the hooligans they kept running in too. Maybe hooligans wasn’t the right word actually. He had no words. They were attractive but something about them screamed bad idea. Was it the tattoos? Kihyun doubted it very seriously. He figured he wouldn’t get much sleep after a restless five hours and he texted Minhyuk to let him know he’d be at the restaurant. They lived in the same apartment complex but Minhyuk and Hyungwon lived together. Kihyun didn’t mind but it did get lonely. 

He took took the bus to the street the restaurant was on and yawned. His hand gripped a to go coffee tightly and a frown pulled at his features. He had his hair slicked up off his forehead in the hopes it would stay that way. He had another button up shirt on under his coat and black pants again. Stains were less obvious. He yawned again and cursed the sun once he was in front of the restaurant. “Keys Kihyunnie keys.” He muttered to himself as he dug in his pocket. He was so focused when a shadow fell on him he didn’t notice. “Hey.” A voice called out which managed to startle Kihyun. And then he dropped his coffee. 

“Agghhhh!” He groaned loudly in irritation and pinched the bridge of his nose before glancing to the side. The same muscular man from last night stood there but his eyes were wide and he looked guilty. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to make you drop that!” He looked more devastated than Kihyun, “I just wanted to wish you luck, I love ramen.” He frowned at Kihyun with a sad look. Kihyun was startled by the onslaught of words and he stared at the man for a moment, “Don’t worry about it” He sighed, “And thank you, come by sometime.” He gave him a small smile before letting himself in. 

The non-stop chopping was music to Kihyun’s ears. Minhyuk would be by in an hour to finish getting the front ready and Kihyun had prepared a lot of vegetables the night before. He could smell the bases of each type of ramen they offered simmering away behind him. The smell was comforting. He hummed to himself as he chopped, focused and efficient. After another ten minutes of repetitive chopping he finally stopped to give his cramping hand a break. He heard the front door closing as if it was timed perfectly. It would be just like Minhyuk to get there when all the work was done.

“Minnie?” He called out. Silence. Kihyun frowned and wiped his hands on his black apron before exiting the kitchen. The frown eased just slightly when he realized it was the irritating Nunu guy. But technically he had helped them so Kihyun was trying to look less irritated. Probably wasn’t working. The male smirked at him as he eyed him, “Kihyun is it?” He knew that wasn’t a question so he crossed his arms and waited. “Hoseok said he scared you earlier” He said as he walked up closer to Kihyun, “Peace offering.” It took Kihyun a second to realize the man was holding coffee out to him. Aw damn now Kihyun looked like a jerk. 

“I told him it’s fine” Kihyun muttered quietly before carefully accepting the coffee, “but thank you.” See he could be civil? He looked at the male again, “Nunu was it?” He had to fight the grin on his face as the man rolled his eyes. “That idiot Hoseok” He muttered, “ It’s Hyunwoo.” He grinned at Kihyun and stuck a hand out. Kihyun narrowed his eyes suspiciously at this sudden polite conversation but he also had manners. He grabbed Hyunwoo’s hand gently and shook it, ignoring how it almost engulfed his. He would have let go but the male pulled him closer to him and looked down at his face. “Are you afraid of me?” 

Kihyun’s face exploded red and he had to hold in the urge to head butt him. “I’m frightened by your atrocious manners.” He gritted out. Kihyun tugged at the grip but it didn’t remotely loosen. “Hm stubborn and cute” Hyunwoo commented, “You fit me well.” Kihyun gasped in outrage as Hyunwoo let him go after his comment. Kihyun hurriedly moved away from him and glared. “You-you-“ He stumbled out and Hyunwoo smirked again. “I’ll bring the boys by later babe” He said as he turned to leave, “Good luck with the opening.” And he was gone just like that. 

Kihyun had a feeling they were in trouble. And if he called him babe one more time he was going to hit him with a frying pan.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A successful night means celebrating! But maybe they should have went home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >:3

It turns out getting slammed at your new restaurant can make you forget all your woes of the day. And if there’s one thing Kihyun is great at it’s making ramen. He wasn’t sure how much food went out the door that day but he had seen Minhyuk often. The poor man looked excited and exhausted all at once. But they received no complaints during service so Kihyun took it as a win. 

He rubbed his hand to get the cramp out now that everything had calmed down. They closed in an hour and Kihyun could only think about his bed. He was happy, truly happy. He texted Hyungwon now that he had a moment before washing his hands. He wondered if he should make Minhyuk some food? He was in the process of weighing his options when said friend appeared in his kitchen again. He looked nervous. Kihyun’s eyes narrowed for a moment and he waited. He could hear boisterous laughing from out front which gave him a bad feeling. 

“So the uh guys from that shop? They’re here.”

Minhyuk winced as he spoke. Kihyun had told him about what happened earlier with Hyunwoo. Apparently that man kept good on his promises. Kihyun sighed and rubbed his temples before looking at Minhyuk. “They have a cute guy with them though” And there’s his best friend back from nervous city, “He’s so cute and no tattoos! It’s almost weird.” Minhyuk cackled and grinned at Kihyun’s look. “Just get their order before I hit you with something.”

Minhyuk had disappeared after that. Hell if those irritating men wanted to give Kihyun their money he wouldn’t complain. As soon as Minhyuk came back he went to work. Slipping back in chef mode and finally smiling at the food he produced. Minhyuk came back in and arranged it all neatly on two trays. “Here I’ll help.” He spoke softly and ran a hand through his hair before grabbing the second tray from Minhyuk. He wasn’t going to risk his friend dropping everything just because he wanted to avoid Hyunwoo like the plague. 

He followed Minhyuk out in to the dining area and almost turned around when he realized there was probably eight guys in there. He recognized Hyunwoo almost immediately and the muscular guy called Hoseok. Hoseok looked absolutely thrilled when he spotted the food which made Kihyun smile just slightly. Of course he frowned as soon as he saw Hyunwoo staring at him. “Alright boys elbows off the tables or you get hot food in your laps.” The men were horsing around and all looked at Kihyun when he spoke. “Now.” Hyunwoo’s voice sounded suddenly and the men scrambled to obey. 

He ignored Minhyuk’s snickering. Kihyun moved fluidly between the tables as he sat bowls down. He pretended them all immediately shoveling the food in didn’t please him as much as it did. Sure they wore a lot of leather and ripped clothing but they liked his food so there’s a win. He didn’t even mind all the tattoos everywhere. He reached Hyunwoo last who looked like a king on his throne. There was a moment of them eyeing each other before Kihyun sat his food down. “Oh this is so good!” Hoseok’s happy voice spoke up and Minhyuk smiled at him. 

Kihyun smiled in Hoseok’s direction before feeling someone burning holes in him from their stare. He glanced at Hyunwoo again and raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to eat or stare at me?” He asked with a frown. Hyunwoo’s lips curled slightly, “I get options? I’ll do both.” Kihyun refrained from hitting him with something and considered cursing his name until Hyunwoo started eating. His demeanor changed and his eyes actually became crescents. “This is fucking delicious.” Hyunwoo looked so pleased that Kihyun finally grinned. “I made it so of course it is.” Kihyun crossed his arms and watched Hyunwoo almost inhaling the food. 

As if on cue the door flew open and Hyungwon sauntered in looking expensive. He ran a hand through his blonde hair and grinned. Minhyuk squealed immediately and hugged on to the taller male. “Wonnie!” Kihyun felt a happy warmth in his chest at their happiness. He moved away from all the delinquent looking men and tried to ignore Hoseok openly staring at Hyungwon. “Ah the model graces us with his presence.” He teased and Hyungwon playfully rolled his eyes. “Someone needed to class this place up.” Hyungwon said with zero malice. 

Kihyun tuned out all the men eating and gestured at Hyungwon, “Hey I made you food come eat in the kitchen.” He motioned with his head. “If you insist, but hurry up and close so we can celebrate!” Hyungwon grinned wide as Minhyuk hopped by him. “No way I remember last time I had to carry you. My back hasn’t recovered.” Kihyun rubbed his lower back dramatically. “You guys can come out with us?” Hoseok’s voice piped up from somewhere near Kihyun and he felt his eyes narrow. All of the men were looking at them. Hyungwon glanced at Hoseok and raised a perfect eyebrow. 

“Yeah come out with us, maybe you’ll even keep up.” 

Minhyuk face palmed at the look Kihyun gave Hyunwoo. If there was another obvious side of Kihyun it was his competitive nature. “Great now we’ll end up dead.” Minhyuk muttered to Hyungwon. Kihyun untied his apron and gave Hyunwoo a withering look, “Worry about yourself.” The amount of snickering from the men almost caused Kihyun to laugh. Almost. Hyunwoo’s eyes narrowed but a smirk played across his features, “Keep that up and you’ll see how nice I am to myself.” He very obviously looked Kihyun up and down like prey. 

Kihyun scoffed loudly and eyed Hyunwoo, “Alright, come back in two hours.” To say Hyunwoo was slightly startled was an understatement. But he quickly recovered and nodded with another smirk. Minhyuk frowned and Hyungwon muttered something about dying young. Kihyun just waved them off and went back to the kitchen. He was going to make that damn man regret every decision tonight. 

—————————————————————

Kihyun was exhausted. All the cleaning and organizing. Why did he agree to go out? Then he remembered Hyunwoo’s words and he was renewed by the urge to prove him wrong. Hyungwon returned with a change of clothes for both Minhyuk and Kihyun. Simple t-shirts and ripped skinny jeans. He could tell Minhyuk was excited by the whole danger thing but was playing it cool. Kihyun could see Hyungwon texting quickly on his phone, something about a will. He rolled his eyes. It’s not like they were going to rob a bank. Right? Right?!

The three men stepped outside as Kihyun locked up looking both nervous and intrigued. Minhyuk jumped a mile when a black car rolled up all sleek and shiny. The window rolled down showing a grinning Hoseok and an amused Hyunwoo. “Get in.” That was all they got before they clambered in to the backseat. The leather seats looked expensive but Kihyun didn’t say anything about them. “Overcompensating?” Yes insulting Hyunwoo’s manhood was a better choice. Hoseok cackled loudly while Minhyuk elbowed Kihyun. Hyunwoo’s eyes found Kihyun’s in the rear view mirror. The intense gaze made Kihyun flinch and he casually looked out the window. 

The drive wasn’t long before they pulled up at a bar Kihyun didn’t recognize. He heard Hyungwon gulp beside him but the model still looked unimpressed either way. The people out front smoking reminded Kihyun of the men they were with. Okay this may have been a bad idea. As they climbed out he noticed Hyunwoo was watching him while smoking. He rolled his eyes and looked at Hoseok who was excited. “Come on they make such great drinks!” His enthusiasm was palpable and he grabbed Hyungwon’s hand. Minhyuk had to run after them as the taller male was dragged off inside by a happy Hoseok. Kihyun rubbed his temples but quickly followed, ignoring the looks from the people outside. 

He knew he was staring once he was inside but he couldn’t help it. The people inside drinking and laughing looked like the crowd Kihyun avoided all his life. He saw Hyungwon by the bar with Minhyuk who was peering around curiously. It took him a second to notice warmth right behind him. A glance over his shoulder made him realize just how close Hyunwoo was. “Scared?” The man smirked at Kihyun who frowned at him. “You wish.” He sniffed haughtily and joined his friends. Hyungwon was staring at some cocktail Hoseok gave him like it would sprout legs. 

“I can smell the alcohol from here.” Minhyuk muttered while also staring at the drink. “I think it singed my eyebrows.” Was Hyungwon’s reply. Kihyun sniffed the drink and winced. “Good thing he gave it to you.” He muttered and ignored the pointed glare from the taller male. “I think it’s because he’s in love with Wonnie.” Minhyuk snickered along with Kihyun now. Drinks appeared in front of them making Kihyun jump. The bar tender just grinned at him and went back to whatever he had been doing. Minhyuk peered around again, “Oh it’s your lover’s doing.” Kihyun sadly didn’t have to look to know. 

Hyungwon sipped his drink slowly as Hoseok lurked beside him with heart eyes. It was actually almost cute because Hoseok looked scary but he was a giant softie. Sure he could give a mean scowl but he seemed to smile the majority of the time. He could see Minhyuk having an animated conversation with the bar tender who looked very amused. So far not so bad. He stared at his own drink until a warmth surrounded him. Hyunwoo had scooted in right behind Kihyun and put one hand on the bar to lean. Heat crawled across Kihyun’s face and he scowled in to his drink. “Having fun?” Hyunwoo spoke so close to Kihyun’s ear that he couldn’t suppress the sudden shiver. “Go away.” Kihyun replied back and Hyunwoo chuckled lowly. 

“I thought you weren’t afraid of me?” The challenging tone made Kihyun want to knee him. Where it would hurt. He turned to the side to say something rude but it only revealed how close Hyunwoo was. Their bodies were basically touching and Kihyun could smell his cologne. Kihyun’s eyes widened considerably while Hyunwoo grinned down at him. “You-you have a bad habit of crowding me.” He finally replied and sipped his drink again with a grimace. “I like being close to you.” Hyunwoo had leaned down to mutter it in Kihyun’s ear and he felt goosebumps on his arms. 

He had a witty remark but was interrupted by Hoseok’s irritated voice. He was standing in front of Hyungwon with murderous eyes and glaring at some guy. Kihyun heard Hyunwoo mutter oh shit before the warmth left him to stand by Hoseok. He could see Minhyuk and Hyungwon slowly scooting close to him now as more men joined the stare down. “Um maybe we should go..” Hyungwon’s voice reached Kihyun’s ears right as the tension in the room exploded. He wasn’t quite sure what happened if someone threw a punch or an insult but the fighting began before Kihyun could blink. 

He felt Minhyuk grip his hand as they stood there startled. The violence was ugly. It was hard to watch. He caught sight of Hyunwoo punching a guy continuously in the face until his knuckles had blood on them. Hoseok kicked a guy in the face after he’d punched him down. So much blood. So much violence. Kihyun’s stomach turned when Hyunwoo head butted a guy and then hit his jaw so hard it looked dislocated. This was a nightmare. A violent movie that they were now living. “We’re leaving.” Kihyun’s voice broke the spell and he dragged his two friends behind him. 

The cool air of the night hit Kihyun’s warm skin and it was welcomed. He heard sirens somewhere getting closer and the three of them ran down the sidewalk. “Where the fuck are we?!” Minhyuk hissed as they jogged. Hyungwon panted beside him, “I don’t know I’ve never been down this way!” Kihyun looked at his cellphone and pulled up Google maps. “Let’s go here and get a taxi!” He yelled at his friends and they all kicked in to high gear while they ran. They’ve never been so happy to pay for a taxi in their life. 

—————————————————————

Kihyun washed away the night and his feelings in the shower. He could still see flashes of blood in his mind but he did his best to ignore it. The hour was already late and he wanted to get up early again. He slid in to his bed with a sigh and yanked the covers to his chin. Maybe that old lady had been right. Kihyun had witnessed fights as a teenager but that one was just animalistic. No rules apparently. He shivered even with his blanket pulled high. Oh well he had more important stuff to think of anyway. He snuggled in to his pillow when his phone buzzed by his head. 

**Unknown 1:02am:**  
Where are you 

Kihyun’s blood froze for a second. Who was that? He stared hard at his phone for a minute trying to decipher who could be texting him at one on the morning. And how did they get his number? He chewed on his lip and replied back. 

**Kihyun 1:04am:**  
Who is this?

**Unknown 1:05am:**  
Hyunwoo 

Kihyun almost tossed his phone. How did he get his number! He massaged his temples hard as he tried to think of a reasonable excuse as to why he had Kihyun’s number. After a minute he groaned in frustration because honestly he couldn’t come up with shit. He was irritated that it seemed as though Hyunwoo could just pop up wherever and Kihyun had zero say in the matter. 

**Kihyun 1:09am:**  
Leave me alone 

He huffed and put his phone back on his nightstand. He heard it vibrate again but chose to ignore it. He didn’t want to see the reply and he definitely didn’t want to think about earlier events. It was bad enough that Hyunwoo had smelled really good. Like comfort. Very frustrating indeed. He rolled until he was wrapped loosely in his blanket and settled in for a restless sleep. 

—————————————————————

Kihyun cursed the sun once more as he unlocked the restaurant. Luckily no muscular man scared him this time as he went inside. He paused thoughtfully for a moment before locking the front door behind him. He was in zero mood to be messed with today. He wanted to focus! Kihyun tied his apron on and began looking through his prepped vegetables thoughtfully. Broths simmered behind him and filled the kitchen with warmth. He inhaled deeply finding strength from the familiar smell. Things would be fine. They got this far right? Some idiot guys wouldn’t get in their way. 

Kihyun nodded to himself as he began chopping and stirring. His hands found spices and sauces. He was in his zone and it was nice. He wasn’t even startled when Minhyuk’s singing reached his ears announcing the white haired male’s arrival. It had been a good idea to get a copy of the key for him. He smiled at the loud, happy singing while wiping his hands. “Kihyunnnnniiieee!” Minhyuk’s loud voice reached his ears. He heard foot steps and the male appeared with a grin. “Hey why are you leaving your coffee out front? So rude.” He tsked at Kihyun who stared at him like he was nuts. “What?” Kihyun stared as Minhyuk sat a to-go cup of coffee on Kihyun’s prep table. “But..that’s not mine.” Kihyun pointed at it and Minhyuk snorted before walking out. 

He stared at the cup for another minute before reaching for it. He felt nervous as he turned it to find where the barista wrote the name. Hyunwoo. Kihyun immediately threw the cup in the closest trash can and ran a hand through his hair. He knew that cup wasn’t there when he got here. Which meant at some point while Kihyun was working Hyunwoo had got inside. How?! Did he pick the lock? Kihyun wasn’t sure and he honestly didn’t know if he wanted an answer to that. He ran a hand down his apron to focus. Okay so he popped in and it’s freaky so what? Kihyun had work to do. His lips were a thin line as he nodded to himself. Hyunwoo could choke.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kihyun and Hyunwoo are like a loaded gun with each other; which somehow means they get a new employee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay :)

“My back is ruined.”

Minhyuk whined at Kihyun as he surveyed the kitchen. All day long they toiled over customers. The lunch rush wasn’t so bad but come dinner time it got hectic. A lot of people got off work and wanted to relax. The dining area was full of rambunctious college kids and office workers who wanted a beer with a nonjudgmental place. Minhyuk entertained everyone with his hyper personality and nonstop jokes. Kihyun was perfectly happy by himself.

He stood there currently fussing with his apron and looking at the mess. He had ignored Minhyuk’s whining at the moment. He was still stuck on the coffee cup thing. “Hey go home okay? I’ll clean this up.” Kihyun finally spoke to Minhyuk with a smile. He saw his friend blink unevenly, “Huh? Who are you?” Kihyun snorted and rolled his eyes. “I can have you help me?” He waved a hand at the dishes that needed cleaning. Minhyuk stood straight and waved at him, “I’ll head home!” His friend zoomed out of the kitchen quickly. It amused Kihyun honestly. 

He didn’t mind cleaning alone. Sometimes he needed to stress clean in silence. He’d periodically sing if it got too quiet but mostly he scrubbed things. After an hour his kitchen looked spotless. If he had let Minhyuk help it would have taken longer. Mostly because that man would distract Kihyun with his shenanigans. It was nice usually but not right now. Not when his mind was weighed down by worry. Minhyuk was oblivious to what was happening and Kihyun preferred that. His naive innocence with the men across the street needed to be protected. 

After turning off the lights in the kitchen Kihyun made his way to his coat and grabbed his keys. It was late at night but that was okay. He’d sleep good from the physical exertion. As he clicked off lights he noticed the tattoo shop across the street still lit up. There were a couple motorcycles parked out front and Kihyun could make out movement inside. “Jeez who gets a tattoo this late?” Kihyun muttered to himself as he stepped outside. Locking the door he pulled his coat tighter and turned only to stop moving. 

A man stood leaning against his building smoking. Kihyun didn’t recognize him from the usual hooligans that hung out across the street. He was also in the direction Kihyun needed to go. It was an unpleasant few seconds that Kihyun watched as the man glanced at him before fully facing him. Crap. He was unsavory looking. Head shaved, older, leather jacket, dark clothing, and a scar on his face. Kihyun shoved his hands deeper in his pockets as the man strolled up to him. “Yoo Kihyun right?” He asked while eyeing him. 

Kihyun raised a brow, “How do you know my name?” He felt an uncomfortable twisting in his stomach. The man laughed and stood in front of Kihyun now. “I heard Son Hyunwoo got himself a new piece” The man scratched at his cheek, “Didn’t think it’s a boy.” He narrowed his eyes at the man fully confused. A new piece? “I think you may have the wrong person?” Kihyun offered because maybe the guy was drunk or something. The man laughed before grabbing the front of Kihyun’s coat and yanking him closer. “You’re cute but I can take that away real quick.” The sound of a blade flipping open made Kihyun’s heart drop.

“Wait-wait I really don’t know what you mean!” Kihyun squirmed but it didn’t do much on the grip. The man laughed quietly, “Tell lover boy I’m lookin’ for him and next time I’ll mark you up” He shoved Kihyun away from him now, “Got it?” Kihyun’s eyes watered but he nodded quickly. The man laughed loudly at that before waving lazily and strolling back down the side walk. His heart was hammering so hard he was afraid anyone could hear it. What the fuck was going on? What piece? Kihyun’s brain felt empty as he searched for answers. Piece? Wait like...Kihyun’s eyes widened and he covered his face. Piece as in lover. “Well shit.” He whispered to the night. 

—————————————————————

Kihyun had kept the incident to himself. He noticed Minhyuk hovering a lot but he just told him he was tired. I mean that was true and he was having nightmares of a blade on his skin. He almost couldn’t concentrate. It wasn’t until a few days later when he saw the coffee cup resting on his prep table that all the anxiety and anger slammed in to him like a building. Kihyun threw his apron down and stormed out of the restaurant. He heard Minhyuk calling after him but he ignored him. 

The tattoo shop’s door flew open with the strength Kihyun used which caused Changkyun, the artist and owner, to glance up from his table with an inquisitive look. Glasses rested haphazardly on the tip of his nose and a sketch pad was in his hand. “Something wrong?” His deep voice did little to soothe Kihyun’s wrath even though later on he’d probably feel bad about storming in to someone’s business like that. “Where is he?” Kihyun gritted out quietly but Changkyun heard him. He blinked a few times as if deciding on his answer before shrugging and pointing towards the back with his thumb. Kihyun bowed his head slightly at him in thanks before stomping across the shop.

He was sure with his black pants and dark grey shirt was the opposite of threatening but he didn’t care. He found a door marked employee’s only at the back of the shop past some standing screens. He faltered only for a second out of sudden nervousness but opened the door just as quickly. There was a short hallway with two doors on either side of it. Kihyun walked quietly in to the hall and peered around. A low voice could be heard in one room as if on a phone call and Kihyun picked that door. He opened it quickly and a startled Hyunwoo looked up from the desk he was perched on. 

Kihyun paused again at the sight of Hyunwoo sitting on the edge of a desk in pants that should be illegal. But wait that’s the problem. “You!” Kihyun hissed loudly as Hyunwoo hung up his phone. “Hm?” He hummed and cocked his head to the side. “What have you been telling people?!” Kihyun stomped up to the desk where Hyunwoo continued sitting. “Do you know what happened?! Some crazy guy tried to-to cut my face because of you!” Kihyun clenched his fists and scowled at Hyunwoo. “Why are you doing this to me?” After he got out what he had been holding in Kihyun felt like his body deflated. 

Hyunwoo was staring at him with a confused look now. “What? What guy?” Kihyun slapped a hand to his own forehead and groaned, “I don’t know who he is! Some criminal that threatens people!” Kihyun threw his head back and tried to calm the rage. “Listen I don’t want to be involved in whatever shady, criminal stuff you do leave us out of it!” He glared at Hyunwoo who was still staring at him. “Hold on are you saying I’m a criminal?” The tension in the room rolled in like thunder and Kihyun blinked. “That’s what you think I am?” Hyunwoo’s voice was low and his gaze intense which made Kihyun swallow audibly. 

But true to his stubborn nature he just squared his shoulders, “Yes. I’m not stupid nor blind” Kihyun’s voice evened out now, “I don’t care what you do with your life but it’s spilling over in to mine” Hyunwoo leaned forward slightly while Kihyun spoke, “Someone could hurt my friends because of you and I’m not going to let it happen.” He crossed his arms now and glared at Hyunwoo. The taller male slid off the desk so quickly Kihyun could barely register it. His back bumping in to the closed door registered too late and now Hyunwoo’s face was mere inches from him. “Tell me why you think I’m a criminal.” Hyunwoo asked it in a low, dangerous voice. 

Kihyun scoffed even though his heart was slamming against his ribcage, “You keep breaking in to my restaurant. Did you think I wouldn’t figure it out? And now some bald guy is threatening me because he thinks I’m with you” Kihyun narrowed his eyes, “I don’t care who you are but I’m not going to be pushed around.” He would have crossed his arms again but then he’d be touching Hyunwoo. The taller male’s gaze was dark, “You forget whose world you’re in right now” He spoke icily, “He thinks you’re with me? Why should I deny it?” The smirk on his face made Kihyun grit his teeth in frustration. “Are you hearing yourself? I just said a guy wants to cut my face and you’re worried about that?!” 

Hyunwoo’s gaze softened just slightly as his face got closer to Kihyun’s, “Then be with me. I can protect you you know.” Their noses almost touched and Kihyun just knew his face was red now. Damn if Hyunwoo wasn’t as good looking this would be less embarrassing. But fate was cruel apparently. “What makes you think I’m even available? Especially for someone like you.” Kihyun hissed it out and saw Hyunwoo glare at him. “Tell me who it is and I’ll get rid of them.” He hissed back. Kihyun’s eyes widened in shock. Okay didn’t expect that. What kind of drama were they living in?!

Kihyun willed his body to relax and he studied Hyunwoo as well as he could considering the closeness. “Stay away from me.” He finally said with a serious look to his face. Maybe Hyunwoo would get the hint? “I won’t.” Or not. Kihyun sighed in irritation. “Let me help.” Hyunwoo spoke again which got Kihyun’s attention. Even though they were inches apart Hyunwoo had made no move to ravage him or anything. “How?” Kihyun was suspicious but not dumb. Hyunwoo grinned at him, “I have my ways” He glanced at Kihyun’s lips while speaking, “On one condition, my friend needs a job. He’s a good guy don’t worry.” Kihyun had to run that sentence through his head a few times before it made sense. “A job?” What was happening. 

“Yes, he’s young. He’ll work hard.” Kihyun couldn’t believe Hyunwoo was asking him to hire someone. But actually that worked out because he thought he’d ask for something a little more intense. “Fine” Kihyun figured he had nothing to lose at this rate, “Have him come by today.” Hyunwoo nodded at Kihyun but still hadn’t moved. There was an awkward pause of ten seconds before Kihyun scowled, “I need to go to work.” He glanced down between them so Hyunwoo would get the hint and the taller male laughed. He stepped back to give Kihyun room but not before he brushed his jaw with his fingertips, “I’ll make sure you’re safe.” After that Hyunwoo perched back on the desk as if he’d never moved in the first place. 

Kihyun’s heart was still racing when he left the office faster than when he came in. Leaving fast meant he didn’t hear Hyunwoo making an important phone call. “Hey Jooheonnie, I have a job for you.”

—————————————————————

Kihyun had returned to the restaurant with a concerned Minhyuk on his heels. “Uh what was that?” Minhyuk’s voice filled the kitchen as Kihyun stirred a broth without seeing it. His brain was full of too many things and it was frustrating. Hyunwoo was everywhere. “You’ve been stirring for five minutes.” Kihyun blinked and looked at Minhyuk who was staring at him. He sighed finally, “I needed to talk to Hyunwoo-ssi about a potential employee.” Which was true but he obviously left out other details. Minhyuk raised a brow now, “We’re hiring someone? I better get to interview.” Minhyuk huffed and left the kitchen obviously annoyed. 

He knew Minhyuk wouldn’t mind the extra help but he did feel guilty about making that decision alone. He hoped whoever was going to stop by would actually be as nice as Hyunwoo had said. The last thing he needed was a hooligan. Of course a few hours after all of that he got his answer both from the male’s appearance and the heart eyes Minhyuk currently had. The orange haired male was sitting politely at a table in front of Minhyuk. He had sharp eyes but when he smiled his dimples made him look adorable. Kihyun felt a weight remove itself from his shoulders. True the guy had orange hair but he looked respectable enough. 

“Alright Jooheon-ssi, what did Hyunwoo-ssi tell you about this job?” Kihyun asked and crossed his arms over his black apron. The male smiled politely at him now, “My hyung said you needed help in the evenings a few days a week.” Kihyun nodded slowly at that. Minhyuk grinned even wider, “Jooheon-ssi are you in school?” Jooheon smiled still at Minhyuk but it didn’t reach his eyes, “No, I have to look after my family.” Kihyun felt a small pang in his heart at the honesty. Damn that Hyunwoo. Now he was guaranteed to hire him. Minhyuk looked at Kihyun expectantly and grinned like a cat at his nod. “You’re perfect Jooheon-ah!” Minhyuk said and nodded which made Jooheon blush suddenly. 

Kihyun rolled his eyes and swatted Minhyuk, “Go be useful and find him an apron.” He scowled at Minhyuk who was still smiling happily. As soon as his friend left the room Kihyun faced Jooheon again, “I don’t know how much you know but even if Hyunwoo-ssi recommended you I’ll still throw you out if you cause trouble.” He saw the other male gulp but he nodded quickly. “Minnie will help you learn the ropes I guess, I’ll let him know.” Kihyun’s stern look eased slightly and he offered Jooheon a small smile. He was definitely letting Minhyuk deal with this. The farther Kihyun was from the situation the better. Jooheon stood and bowed at Kihyun right as Minhyuk reappeared. “Min train him please?” His friend nodded immediately at the request. Figures. 

When closing time came around Kihyun was pleasantly surprised that Jooheon was a great addition. He did what was asked and had a friendly personality. Sure he wasn’t as enthusiastic as Minhyuk but the customers seemed to like him. He could see Minhyuk fawning over Jooheon once he’d finished cleaning the kitchen and Kihyun chuckled at it. “Glad you two are getting along.” Kihyun teased and Minhyuk hugged on to Jooheon excitedly, “Joohoney is the best! Look at his dimples.” Kihyun would have rescued Jooheon but he noticed the male didn’t look uncomfortable and was blushing again. “You did great Jooheon-ssi.” He offered and smiled at the happy look on the other’s face. 

—————————————————————

Kihyun had to listen to Minhyuk talking about how adorable Jooheon was all the way home. Luckily he was able to escape in to his apartment so Minhyuk would unleash his love on Hyungwon. Kihyun snickered at the realization. Today had been interesting. As he climbed in to bed he wondered if everything would go okay now. Jooheon looked pretty normal and no shifty looking guys had been lurking. At least it was one less stress for the time being. Kihyun also kept picturing Hyunwoo’s face which was annoying. His stupid good looking face. He shouldn’t find him attractive! Yet here he was picturing his expressions. Great. 

His phone vibrated a moment later as if the universe spilled all his secrets. 

**Unknown 11:34pm:**  
How did it go

Kihyun rubbed at his face in annoyance. He’d forgotten that Hyunwoo had miraculously got his number. 

**Kihyun 11:35pm:**  
Plan on telling me how you got my number?  
It went fine

**Hyunwoo 11:36pm:**  
I have my ways babe  
I’m glad it did now go to sleep  
Goodnight ;)

Kihyun bit down on his bottom lip once Hyunwoo had replied. The damn nerve of that guy. What was worse is a Kihyun felt a blush on his face when he read it. He chastised his brain for finding anything Hyunwoo said attractive. He refused to go down that road! Even if the man had delicious arms. 

**Kihyun 11:38pm:**  
Quit calling me that  
Goodnight 

He sat his phone down on his nightstand and curled up in his blanket. A thought nagged at his mind about Hyunwoo; if he knew his number did he know his address? It was possible and Kihyun wouldn’t pretend that Hyunwoo didn’t have the means to find out. He wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about that. On one hand he knew Hyunwoo was probably not a safe option but at the same time his stupid body found him attractive. Maybe in time he’d get over it? Kihyun sure hoped some because all the tension they had was going to kill him soon.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pay attention to the calm before the storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never let Kihyun live in my fics he’s just going to have grey hair by the time he’s 30 no big deal xD

You know that sensation where you can just feel like something is going to happen. You go around all day just sort of waiting and wondering if you’re paranoid. It may not be something bad it could be good but that nagging feeling is just there in your chest. Kihyun has dealt with that feeling all day long. Jooheon had worked in the restaurant for about two weeks now and honestly it was great. Minhyuk and Jooheon were almost inseparable; which gave Kihyun the feeling they were flirting. He’d lecture them later. Besides they got work done so he’ll let it go on another day. 

His interactions with Hyunwoo had thankfully been short or not at all. They were so busy each day that Kihyun didn’t leave the kitchen much at all so he didn’t speak to customers or visitors. He knew Hyunwoo and Hoseok would come get food periodically. They’d joke around with Jooheon and Minhyuk for an hour or so. No fights broke out and nothing nefarious happened. Kihyun was still suspicious. Even when the other guys popped by, one named Gunhee specifically, there was no trouble. So Kihyun just kept focusing on working while there was peace. 

And maybe he snuck a glance at Hyunwoo when he was outside in those damn tight jeans. It was just once! Okay it was twice. 

They had closed a few hours early that night because they all needed it. Minhyuk was super happy about it and even Jooheon looked thankful for the rest. Kihyun still had that nagging feeling that something was lurking on the horizon but he just squashed it down. He went to Minhyuk and Hyungwon’s apartment to watch a movie. They ate popcorn and laughed together. It was nice. But the nagging persisted. Kihyun didn’t mention it to his two friends he just went home when it got later and assumed some sleep was all that was needed. 

He had been sprawled out comfortably on his couch when rapid knocking got his attention. He sat up and rubbed his eyes while glancing at his phone. It was midnight! Kihyun groaned loudly wondering if one of his friends had decided to get drunk or wanted to go out. He shuffled over to the door and opened it fully expecting Minhyuk or something to be standing there. What he didn’t expect was to be pushed out of the way by Hoseok and Jooheon as they dragged a stumbling Hyunwoo in. Kihyun’s mouth was hanging open as he shut the door behind them out of reflex. They slowly lowered Hyunwoo down on the couch and Kihyun finally snapped back to the present. 

“Uh what the fuck is going on? Jooheon-ah?” Kihyun asked loudly and Jooheon looked at him with a guilty expression. Hoseok was bent over Hyunwoo and paid no attention to Kihyun. “Why are you in my house?! How did you find my house?!” He locked his glare on Jooheon who shifted uncomfortably. “Hyu-hyung got hurt cause-cause of me.” Jooheon’s bottom lip jutted out as he spoke and Kihyun felt a tiny bit of guilt for being loud. “It’s not your fault Jooheonie” Hoseok finally spoke, “Hyunwoo is very stubborn anyways.” Jooheon sniffed loudly, “I should have let them take my stuff and hyung wouldn’t have got involved!” Kihyun was pinching the bridge of his nose now as the two men spoke back and forth.

A groan came from the couch and all three men looked over at Hyunwoo. “Okay hold on” Kihyun said while rubbing at his face, “Someone took your things and Hyunwoo-ssi got hurt?” Jooheon nodded at Kihyun’s questions with the same defeated expression. “They tried to take my laptop and hyung wouldn’t let them” Jooheon glanced towards Hyunwoo, “So they got in a fight but hyung was outnumbered.” Kihyun frowned and gave Hyunwoo a quick look before sighing. “Jooheonie you saved for that laptop for ages, there’s no way trash like that is taking it” Hoseok hissed out suddenly before looking at Kihyun, “We need to hide him here. The cops are probably looking for all the men involved in that fight. Hyunwoo got cut and he needs to rest.” 

Kihyun stared at Hoseok while he was speaking and honestly it sounded like a dial up noise at one point. “How did you find my apartment?” His eyes went from Hoseok to Jooheon and then back to Jooheon who wasn’t looking back. “Jooheon-ah?” Kihyun waited patiently until the younger male looked at him, “Um I found it and it seemed safe so.” Kihyun face palmed while gritting his teeth. Jooheon looked so devastated he couldn’t even get that mad. Kihyun pushed by the two men and crouched by a grimacing Hyunwoo. “Wait he got cut?! He needs a hospital!” It dawned on Kihyun what Hoseok had said a minute late. 

“No-no hospitals.” Hyunwoo’s voice reached Kihyun’s ears and he looked at him. Hyunwoo wasn’t looking at him but at the ceiling. There was no way Kihyun could take him and he was pretty confident the other two wouldn’t disobey Hyunwoo anyways. “Let me see it.” Kihyun sighed and glanced at the very obvious red spot on Hyunwoo’s t-shirt. He gently pulled it up and frowned deeply. Someone had already stitched it up obviously, “Please tell me Hoseok-ssi can’t sew.” He swore Jooheon had laughed for a second before Hyunwoo’s eyes finally looked at Kihyun, “Changkyunnie did it.” He responded still sounding weak. “Jooheon-ah go grab the first aid kit from the bathroom, we need to disinfect and cover the stitches for now.” 

Why was he getting involved? He didn’t even know anymore. Was it because Hyunwoo looked so weak while being wracked by pain? Or the lost expressions of the other two? Whatever it was it found Kihyun gently placing a large bandage over the neat stitches and muttering an apology when Hyunwoo hissed. He sighed while studying the clenched jaw of the other and was startled when a hand grabbed his, “Thank you Kihyun-ah.” Hyunwoo muttered and with that clearly lost consciousness. “He must be exhausted.” Hoseok muttered from behind Kihyun. Kihyun rubbed at his temples for a moment before sighing again. 

“Help get him to my room to sleep.” He was giving in. Hoseok nodded quickly and with Jooheon’s help they managed to get Hyunwoo in to Kihyun’s bed. “Can you uh..take his shirt off before he bleeds on my blankets?” Kihyun felt his face turn red at Hoseok’s look and he quickly left his own bedroom right after. Jooheon still looked guilty once Hoseok had reappeared. The muscular male patted Kihyun’s shoulder and sent him a grateful smile. As soon as they left the silence was deafening. Kihyun groaned and covered his face in frustration. What the hell was happening in his life? How had he lost control of everything? 

Kihyun looked around his empty living room and began tidying up the things left behind. Bloody gauze from Kihyun cleaning the stitched wound again and things knocked askew. He searched through his medicine cabinet until he found some painkillers for Hyunwoo. He was going to need them. 

—————————————————————

Kihyun had passed out on his couch quickly. The sudden events were tiresome. How long he slept he wasn’t sure but he had a strange sensation on his face. He whined and shoved his face deeper in to the couch cushion. A second later he felt someone poke his side which made him jolt. Kihyun slowly turned his head to see and found Hyunwoo sitting on the ground by the couch. Shirtless. In his boxers. It was silent as Kihyun’s tired brain processed and then he yelped as he sat up. Hyunwoo’s brow rose but he stayed quiet. 

“How-how do you feel?” Kihyun’s groggy voice finally broke the silence and gave away how tired he was. “Better, not as sore.” Hyunwoo’s voice was deep from sleep and Kihyun refused to find it attractive. He nodded at Hyunwoo and pulled his knees up to his chest. “What time is it?” Kihyun was trying to fill the awkward air as Hyunwoo watched him. “Five in the morning.” Hyunwoo responded and ran a hand through his hair. “I found the pain killers you left, thank you.” Kihyun nodded casually at Hyunwoo as if this was a normal situation for him. Hyunwoo finally smiled at Kihyun now, “Thank you for helping me Kihyun-ah.”

He knew he was blushing but he cleared his throat and nodded. “Um I have to get ready for work soon...” Kihyun fiddled with his fingers and glanced at Hyunwoo again. The taller still semi-naked man nodded thoughtfully. “Are-do you” Kihyun fumbled over his own question, “I mean do you need me to take you with or?” Wow this was awkward. He was used to cocky Hyunwoo not quiet Hyunwoo. “We’re going through same way I’ll go with you.” Hyunwoo replied and stood up slowly. “My shirts probably won’t fit well but you’re welcome to take one.” Kihyun called out as Hyunwoo made his way back to his bedroom. Oh this was going to be strange indeed. 

—————————————————————

Yeah it was weird. Kihyun didn’t own a car so he normally used public transportation. Having Hyunwoo standing in his space wasn’t very helpful with being oblivious to his good looks. It also didn’t help when Kihyun stumbled just slightly and the rest of the ride had Hyunwoo caging him in with his arms as if that was normal for them. At least he’d left early enough that Minhyuk wouldn’t be at the restaurant yet. One less embarrassing thing he had no idea how to explain. Like how his heart stuttered when surrounded by Hyunwoo’s body heat. No shut up Kihyun! 

Standing outside of his restaurant he studied Hyunwoo one more time. The taller male was still a little pale but looked way better than last night. He gave him a small smile and turned to unlock the door when he felt a hand on his elbow. Kihyun hesitated before glancing back at Hyunwoo who was looking at him, “Kihyun-ah you-..I really...really appreciate your help” Hyunwoo furrowed his brows, “If you need me, you know where to find me.” Kihyun stared dumbly at Hyunwoo before finally nodding slowly. Hyunwoo hummed and turned on his heel. Kihyun watched him move across the street quickly to enter the tattoo shop and he felt a weird tightness in his chest. 

All day long Kihyun poured over his interaction with Hyunwoo. He had seemed completely different and Kihyun wasn’t sure what to make of it. He rubbed at his face harshly and went back to focusing on work. Minhyuk seemed to be worried about him as he peered in the kitchen often. Jooheon seemed afraid of him so he was in and out fast. It made Kihyun wonder what had all happened last night. Jooheon almost got mugged of a laptop; okay those are expensive but to risk getting injured over? Then again Hoseok had said he saved for awhile for it. Kihyun was beginning to realize the men were full of layers. 

He still wasn’t quite sure what Hyunwoo and a Hoseok did in the evenings. They obviously had an income because they wore nice clothes and had access to nice cars. It didn’t feel like it went with the whole criminal thing but Kihyun wasn’t sure. He groaned and startled Jooheon who jumped as he picked up an order. “Ah sorry.” Kihyun muttered embarrassed. Jooheon smiled at him before glancing around, “Kihyun-hyung I’m sorry about last night” He rubbed his nape, “I was going home and some guys tried to take my laptop, I didn’t mean for hyung to get hurt.” Kihyun frowned but then gave Jooheon a reassuring look. 

“It’s okay don’t worry, I may not know what they do but I’m glad you’re safe. Okay?” Kihyun spoke quietly in case Minhyuk was lurking nearby. Jooheon looked at Kihyun startled but nodded quickly. He left the kitchen smiling and that made Kihyun’s worry ease just slightly. The rest of the day continued well once Jooheon seemed to realize Kihyun wasn’t going to throw a pot at him. Minhyuk’s cheery self kept them all energized until the last customer left. “I need a massage.” Minhyuk groaned and wagged his eyebrows at a bright red Jooheon. 

Kihyun chuckled before hitting him with a rag, “Leave him be” He tsked at Minhyuk, “I’m done cleaning are you two ready to head out?” Kihyun peered out in to the dining room to see it nice and tidy. He patted Minhyuk on the head who swatted at him which made all three of them laugh. “I can sleep for days.” Minhyuk whined as they all stepped outside. Kihyun rolled his eyes as he locked up behind them. “Try actually sleeping when you get home Minnie.” He huffed at his friend who waved a hand at him. 

“Hey Ki-“ Minhyuk began speaking but cut himself off. The three men stood by each other and stared at around five other men who lurked in their path. Kihyun noticed Jooheon moving more in front of them like a shield. The silence made Kihyun’s hair stand on end. “Well well well” Kihyun’s heart almost stopped at the familiar voice, “Look what we have here.” The scarred bald guy stepped out and peered at the three of them. “You know your little boyfriend hurt some of my guys.” He exhaled smoke from his mouth and Kihyun felt Minhyuk grab at his hand. “Just leave them alone.” Jooheon bit out and the men laughed. 

“Nah kid that’s not how it works” The man exhaled more smoke as they approached the three frightened ones, “It’s give and take.” Kihyun barely had time to react as the group surged forward to easily grab them. He could see Jooheon struggling with one man while two others held Minhyuk tightly. Kihyun felt fingers dig in to his arm as he was shoved hard against the building’s wall. “Stop it!” Minhyuk’s shout made Kihyun look at him before a hand grabbed his chin hard. The man stared hard at Kihyun who looked back while gritting his teeth. There was another guy holding him against the wall still, blocking his view of Jooheon.

His heart thundered when a shiny object was lifted in front of his face. Oh no. “Wait wait please don’t-“ Kihyun started babbling at the man feeling a wave of nausea hit him and his hands reached up to grab at the arm holding him in place. “Stop! Stop it! Leave him alone!” Kihyun heard Minhyuk shouting now but as soon as something cold bit in to the skin of his neck he squeezed his eyes shut. The world sounded muffled as the sharp, burning pain invaded all his senses. And as soon as it had began it was over. Kihyun felt his body get shoved harshly to the side and he collided with the cement. Knocking the wind out of him. He felt Minhyuk land on him a second later and he wheezed. 

Hands grabbed at both of them and Kihyun struggled until he realized it was Jooheon. The younger male hovered over them and sneered at the men who seemed amused at the situation. “Tell Son to return what’s mine, last warning” The bald man lit another cigarette now, “Shame to ruin that face.” He spoke casually as if the whole few minutes beforehand never happened. Kihyun’s hand immediately covered the wet spot on his neck as Minhyuk dug his fingers in to his arm. The men dispersed laughing at the three of them as they strolled back down the sidewalk. Kihyun could hear Minhyuk breathing hard but his body felt numb. 

“Hyung? Are you okay? Kihyun-ah?” Jooheon asked softly trying to peer in to the mess of limbs that were his bosses. Kihyun glanced up at Jooheon and slowly nodded. He was surprised when his shaky legs stood and pulled Minhyuk up with him. The male whimpered and clutched on to Kihyun who was staring at nothing. He faintly heard Jooheon babbling stuff beside him but he didn’t reply. Instead he held Minhyuk’s hand and started walking down the sidewalk. Hand still covering his neck. He could hear Jooheon shouting something but Kihyun didn’t reply. He wanted to go home. 

—————————————————————

Hyungwon had held his friends tightly to his chest for almost an hour. Minhyuk had finally stopped shaking once they were in Kihyun’s house. Hyungwon had wasted no time coming over quickly, considering both apartments were in the same building. He was currently on the couch petting Minhyuk’s head as Kihyun stood in the bathroom. He studied his pale face and puffy, red eyes. Kihyun didn’t cry until he was in his own place; far away from prying eyes. He had cleaned the superficial cut on his neck and placed a bandage over it. 

He gripped the edge of the bathroom counter and exhaled shakily. What could they do? What the hell had they unwillingly been pulled in too? Ignoring all of it wasn’t doing anything it seemed. Even though Kihyun desperately wanted nothing to do with the ongoing battle between the two men it seemed they had no choice. He stood there a moment longer studying his reflection before washing his hands and going back in to the living room. Hyungwon glanced up at him with a frown as Minhyuk hugged on to Hyungwon tightly. 

“Let’s just sell the restaurant” Hyungwon spoke quietly to the two men, “We can find a different location.” Kihyun hugged on to his own torso and looked at the floor, “It took us forever to find that spot we can’t just sell.” He muttered it feeling both guilty and stubborn. “We can do this, we can do anything together” Kihyun had continued after a moment, “If we stay together we can do this.” He hugged himself tighter as Hyungwon seemed to consider his words. After a moment Minhyuk spoke up, “We can do this. I won’t give up.” He shoved his face in to Hyungwon’s side who sighed loudly. “Well I’m not letting you both suffer alone, I’m here.” He stroked Minhyuk’s head again thoughtfully. 

Minhyuk had dozed off on Hyungwon who looked just as sleepy. Kihyun had changed in to a large t-shirt and shorts. He ran a hand through his black hair and froze when someone knocked on the door. He saw Hyungwon go tense as their eyes met. Kihyun walked quietly to the door, “Who is it?” He called out. A shuffling, “Jooheon.” He recognized the younger’s voice once he spoke. He hesitated and looked at Hyungwon again who frowned but finally shrugged. Kihyun sighed loudly and unlocked the door. He didn’t want company aside from his two best friends but life just hated him. 

Kihyun opened the door to the sight of an orange haired, frowning deeply Jooheon. But there was also a sad looking Hoseok and a stoic Hyunwoo as well. Kihyun went to shut the door but Hyunwoo’s hand caught it before he closed. “Go away.” Kihyun gritted out and glared mostly at Jooheon. He saw the guilty look on Jooheon’s face but felt little about it. A hand joined his on the door and Hyungwon glared at the three men, “If you don’t leave I’m calling the police.” Hoseok looked devastated at Hyungwon’s remark now and Kihyun peered back at his friend. He looked back at Hyunwoo who seemed to be staring at him. 

“Just let us in so we can talk.” Hyunwoo’s voice finally spoke up which made Kihyun glare more. He also felt his eyes sting as if he wanted to cry again but he refused. “No, you’ve done enough. You’re fired Jooheon.” He spoke first at Hyunwoo and then at Jooheon. The orange haired male’s bottom lip trembled and Kihyun could see his eyes looked glossy. He finally felt a sharp pull of sadness. “Alright we’ll do this my way I guess.” Hyunwoo sighed as if he was exhausted by the entire world and before Kihyun could even blink a hand grabbed his wrist to tug him out the door. He squeaked and was tossed over Hyunwoo’s shoulder before Hyungwon could get a word out. 

“Hey-hey! What the hell!” Hyungwon’s loud response reached Kihyun’s ears as he was carried down the hall. “Hyunwoo what the fuck put me down you asshole!” Kihyun squirmed wildly on Hyunwoo’s shoulders even though Hyunwoo had a tight grip over his legs. “Kihyun!” Hyungwon’s voice called for him and he looked up enough to see Hoseok trying to calm him down. Kihyun wondered for a moment if Hyungwon would punch Hoseok. Probably break his hand. He smacked at Hyunwoo’s back who didn’t even flinch as he moved quickly down the stairs. “Hyunwoo!” Kihyun yelped at him as they went out in to the cold night air. 

“If you don’t put me down I’ll-“ Kihyun hissed and swatted Hyunwoo again. He didn’t expect the man to swat him back, specifically on his butt. “Behave.” Hyunwoo’s voice spoke up as he carried Kihyun to his car. “What?! You’re impossible! Just just-“ He made an oof noise as Hyunwoo maneuvered him in the passenger seat and buckled him in. Kihyun gasped and stared at him with a deep fury. The man didn’t glance at him he just went around to the driver’s side and climbed in. The silence made Kihyun even more angry, “The fuck is your problem?” He hissed and hugged on to the seatbelt away from Hyunwoo. The taller man sighed and started the car while glancing at Kihyun, “We need to talk Ki and I’m not taking no for an answer. This isn’t a game.” He pulled out of the parking lot while giving Kihyun a silencing look. 

Kihyun gripped the seat belt tighter and grimaced. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with Hyunwoo and yet the man kept barging in like he was welcome. And to think Kihyun had felt a soft spot for him after the stabbing incident. He laid his forehead against the window and wondered if he was going to be locked away in a castle somewhere.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth shall set you free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finding out a whole bunch of stuff starting now :3

While Kihyun was having a mid life crisis in Hyunwoo’s car there was a whole other crisis happening back at his apartment. 

Hyungwon stood fiercely in the apartment holding a frying pan and pointing it at Hoseok. Hoseok stood about two feet away with his hands up and a sad look. At some point Minhyuk had been woken up from all the commotion so he was currently clutching on to Jooheon while they watched the unfolding scene. “Tell me where he took him!” Hyungwon yelled at Hoseok who flinched. “He probably went to his house, he just wants to talk.” Hoseok replied in a whine. Hyungwon’s eyes narrowed even more, “Where is his house?!”

Hoseok blinked and looked down, “I can’t tell you.” He sounded defeated and Hyungwon almost hesitated with his threatening. Almost. “Hoseok-ssi i will hit you with this frying pan I swear” Hyungwon bit out, “Tell me the address!” Hoseok rubbed at his nape with big, sad eyes. “I can’t.” At this point Jooheon spoke up, “Hyung really can’t.” He tried to help Hoseok but hugged tighter to Minhyuk when Hyungwon looked at him, “Please don’t hit hyung.” He said quickly and ducked his head. “It’s okay Hyungwon-ah is not-“ THWACK. 

Minhyuk’s gasp and Jooheon’s yelp sounded right after. Hoseok was crouched down holding his head and hissing. Hyungwon had his hand over his mouth with wide eyes. “I-oops.” He said and dropped the frying pan to crouch by Hoseok. “It it was a reflex-I didn’t plan on hitting you!” It was almost amusing how much Hyungwon had switched from aggressive to caring but it made sense since it was Hoseok. Both Jooheon and Minhyuk shared confused looks as Hyungwon stroked softly over Hoseok’s hair while examining his head. 

Five minutes later Hyungwon was sitting on the couch with Hoseok’s head in his lap. He was absentmindedly running his long fingers very gently through his hair. “I thought Hyunwoo-hyung could be scary but I’m not as convinced.” Jooheon muttered as he handed Hoseok an ice pack. Minhyuk sat on the floor chewing on his bottom lip and glancing periodically at the front door. “I hope Kihyunnie is okay.” He muttered and smiled softly when Jooheon joined him on the floor. 

—————————————————————

Kihyun had zoned out completely during the car ride so he missed the worried looks Hyunwoo would use on him as he drove. Kihyun vaguely recognized the area and he knew the building Hyunwoo lived in was fairly fancy. Not billionaire status but he was sure the occupants lived comfortably. He didn’t even feel shocked at this point. Actually he felt numb and that was starting to concern him. 

Once the car stopped Kihyun didn’t bother fighting Hyunwoo to the elevator and then to the nice apartment he lived in. Kihyun didn’t see anyone else as they walked and he had almost forgot it was probably late. After being gently pushed through the front door Kihyun stood in his t-shirt and shorts looking around at an apartment that probably cost more than he’d ever have. The carpet was plush and comfy, the couch was large with pretty pillows on it. A half wall divided the kitchen from the living room and he caught a glimpse of shiny metal appliances. 

Hyunwoo walked slowly around him and looked at him, “Um do you want something to drink?” He asked quietly and it took Kihyun a moment to finally look at him. Hyunwoo was still irritatingly good looking. His tight dark jeans and black t-shirt showing off his athletic physique. His hair was brushed off his forehead and the caring look he had made Kihyun pause. “No.” Kihyun deadpanned and walked farther in to the living room. He glanced back at Hyunwoo, “I’m here so what do you want.” He said harshly before lowering his tired body on the couch. 

Hyunwoo cleared his throat and sat on the opposite end of the couch. “Was it the same guy?” Hyunwoo’s calm voice was annoying. Kihyun looked at him, “Obviously. I told you he’d cut my face and fucking surprise at least it was my neck instead.” He indicated at the bandage on his neck while Hyunwoo frowned. “Did he say anything?” He asked next and Kihyun felt flames from within burn in his chest. “Yes! You! It’s you! All of this is because of you!” He stood fluidly now and glared at Hyunwoo, “Why are you doing this! I’ve never done anything to you why can’t you just leave me alone!?” He felt liquid spill from his eyes but he continued to glare at Hyunwoo. 

“I just wanted to live my life with my best friends, doing what we dreamed of” He hissed, “Instead I’m getting attacked and thrown around by assholes!” Kihyun grabbed a couch pillow and threw it at Hyunwoo. It was quiet for a moment, “I’m sorry.” Hyunwoo’s voice reached his ears and Kihyun ran a hand through his hair angrily. “Then go away.” He whispered before dropping to his knees and covering his face. His shoulders shook hard as his sobs finally escaped. All the fear and pain that built up finally releasing. He was barely aware of warm arms circling his body. 

Hyunwoo’s large hands brushed Kihyun’s skin gently as he held him, “I can’t go away” he muttered, “I’m going to protect you.” He felt Kihyun still shaking as he tried to comfort him, “You’re doing a shitty job.” Kihyun sneered out and Hyunwoo figured he deserved that. “I know, I know and I’m sorry but he’ll never get near you again” He spoke down to the crying male, “I’ll break his fucking knees I swear.” It was quiet now save from the sobbing coming from Kihyun. After a few minutes he seemed to reign it in somewhat, “Why? Why are they coming after me?”

Hyunwoo kept hugging him and considered his answers, “Because of me” He finally answered, “Because someone must have told them about you and that I want you.” It was true. Ever since the first day he saw Kihyun he felt a strange yearning for the male. He could see the air of authority from the shorter male when he had inspected the building. He couldn’t see Hyunwoo so he had just watched Kihyun without a care. His pale skin and pretty features pulled him in. He’d hear him laughing with his friends when they’d come to the space to work on it. It felt like all the stress and pain in his chest was soothed momentarily by the sound. 

Watching someone was probably considered creepy and after awhile he knew Kihyun was aware of him. You’d think that would stop Hyunwoo but his eyes were always drawn back to him. It was his fault. He’d let his own wants cloud his mind and he was constantly close to Kihyun when he could be. He felt guilt swirling in his chest. “What did you take?” The tired question came from Kihyun who finally leaned away from Hyunwoo to look at him. He felt guilty seeing his red, puffy eyes. His tear stained skin. And the exhaustion in his pretty eyes. “It’s complicated.” Hyunwoo grimaced at his own answer. “Tell me.” 

He sighed and rubbed at his nape again. “I found out from a source where he kept weapons and drugs” He began slowly, “So I took it all and got rid of it.” He continued watching Kihyun as the shorter male processed it. “Wait you took his things to get rid of them?” Kihyun’s brows furrowed as he tried to work out what was going on. “Yes. I don’t sell drugs or weapons” Hyunwoo leaned back on his palms now and felt tired, “He’s a shitty violent person, has been trying for years to take over the neighborhood. He hurts people and uses them. Makes people pay protection fees.” He knew he looked irritated because Kihyun seemed to consider his next question for a few seconds. 

“So...you’re...fighting him?” He asked while still looking somewhat confused. Hyunwoo chuckled softly now, “My dad used to be in a gang. He was a criminal. Ran drugs and guns. Hurt people, the usual things I guess” Hyunwoo began talking with a serious voice, “Like some cliche he fell in love with my mom and quit doing those things. My mom used to have a small shop a few buildings down from yours actually. She always stood up for everyone around us, she didn’t care how scary someone was” Hyunwoo looked down sadly now, “When I was a teen she died from kidney failure. My dad was devastated. He didn’t want to let the streets be overrun again so he kept protecting everyone. He made a lot of enemies. And in turn so did I.” Hyunwoo paused now and breathed out shakily, “He died last year from a heart attack, I wasn’t planning on being... like this...but I owe it to my dad. I can’t let everything be destroyed. He risked a lot taking their things and undermining their power.”

Kihyun chewed on his lip thoughtfully while watching Hyunwoo. The taller male was doing it again. He was shedding that cocky image he wore to expose the core of himself. Kihyun could see a lot of emotions on his face. “It’s dangerous.” Kihyun said flatly and saw Hyunwoo smile though it didn’t reach his eyes, “It’s all I know. I never went to college and I barely got through high school since I was always running around at night.” He shrugged slowly almost mechanically, “If I die keeping you safe it’ll be worth it.” Hyunwoo figured it’s inevitable, his death, he was far more reckless than his dad.

He didn’t expect the stinging swat he got from Kihyun. “Don’t say that! I didn’t ask for you to die for me!” He glared at Hyunwoo who stared back at him wide eyed. “Why don’t you go to the police?” He asked next and Hyunwoo laughed loudly. “There’s dirty cops Ki, I know of a couple but there’s more.” He replied and saw Kihyun deflate slightly. “Everyone thinks we’re a bunch of criminals anyways” Hyunwoo said rather confidently, “Sure we steal but it’s illegal shit and for everyone’s safety. It’s better this way though that they think we’re bad guys.” Kihyun looked away feeling guilty that that was his exact ideas about all of them. He massaged his temples and eyed Hyunwoo again, “And now the real bad guys want to get me to get to you” He sighed, “perfect.”

Hyunwoo stood up finally and looked down at Kihyun with an oddly vulnerable expression, “I’m really sorry Ki, I never meant for you to get involved” He rubbed at his face as Kihyun stood up, “I should have stayed away from you but I just couldn’t and now you’re in danger.” Kihyun felt a small pang in his heart at the look Hyunwoo had. All the remorse on his face. Dammit now Kihyun felt bad again. He almost rubbed at his neck but thought against drawing attention to it again, “What’s done is done” He saw Hyunwoo staring at him, “The question is what will we do now?” He crossed his arms and raised his chin defiantly at the confused male. 

Hyunwoo blinked a few more times, “Uh well you’re not doing anything first” He replied, “I’ll deal with it and get them away from you, it’ll be fine soon.” He nodded at his own words and was swatted again. He winced and rubbed at the spot on his arm Kihyun hit. “Excuse me? I’m the one with the crazy guy after me threatening to cut me so I think I get an opinion” He smiled at Hyunwoo but it was more of a predator smile, “News flash I’m very stubborn and I won’t be hiding with the women folk.” Hyunwoo looked down but Kihyun could see the corners of his mouth lift up in a quick smile. Kihyun had to fight his own smirk now and reminded himself that Hyunwoo got him in this stupid mess. Because of a crush. He felt his cheeks blush. 

“But who was the source anyways? And how do you know Jooheonie? He’s a scaredy cat how can he slink around stealing?” Kihyun had a confused look and Hyunwoo started laughing. A real laugh. “Ah I forgot about that. Jooheon is a very talented guy, he’s a hacker he can get in to anything if he tries” Hyunwoo explained, “And he can find me anything. But he got in trouble a few times and was on probation so I’ve been finding him honest employment. His mom is sick a lot so he takes care of her and his siblings.” Kihyun felt shame pooling in his stomach and he groaned loudly, “I fired him I’m such an asshole. I’ll un-fire him and I don’t care if that’s not a word.” He huffed at the amused expression Hyunwoo had. “He’s a lot like me, he didn’t want to get involved but when you need to feed your family it just happens.” 

Kihyun nodded at Hyunwoo slowly as if accepting what he said. He may have had food and comfort growing up but the reality was some people had to really fight for it. He pouted for a second remembering how devastated Jooheon had looked. Kihyun sighed loudly and looked up at the ceiling, “Do you think my apartment is in one piece?” He asked nonchalantly only for Hyunwoo to snicker. “You can live with me if it isn’t.” Hyunwoo said that far too happily and Kihyun glared at him. He was tired and emotionally spent. He could sleep for years now honestly but he had responsibilities. “I should get home before my alarm goes off in a few hours.” Kihyun sighed again when he checked the time. Hyunwoo nodded carefully at him, “You can sleep here if you want?” 

The offer was tempting but Kihyun felt like there was so much to think about now. He wasn’t as angry at Hyunwoo but he was frustrated. Obviously the other male wasn’t a bad person and it bothered Kihyun that he was going at it alone ready to sacrifice himself. The man was far too impulsive to think reasonably. “You know I like you better like this” Kihyun suddenly said, “When you’re not acting like a cocky asshole.” He waved his hand at Hyunwoo and heard him laughing softly. “Well this isn’t very threatening.” He motioned at himself and only smiled again when Kihyun rolled his eyes. 

“Take me home” Kihyun finally said, “And come by for lunch I’ll make you guys something.” He crossed his arms and waited patiently for Hyunwoo to get his keys again. He also tried to pretend the sweet smile Hyunwoo sent him definitely didn’t make his heart thump quicker.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if what if what if; so many paths you can take but what will make you happy?

Kihyun rubbed at his eyes tiredly. Standing in the quiet kitchen of the restaurant alone. He had come home to his apartment to find it full of sleeping men. Two being his employees, one his friend, and one being Hoseok. He was going to ask about the melted ice pack he saw later. And the fact that there was a frying pan on the living room floor. He had been unable to sleep more than a few hours so he opted to get ready for work instead. His black hair was hanging on to his forehead instead of swept up. He was sure he looked younger than he was that way but he was too exhausted to care. 

He tied his apron on tightly finding the pressure reassuring as he went to work. His mind was full of chaos now. Everything he had learned and everything that had happened. He felt like things were all mixed up, like he was in some fairytale or hell even a soap opera. Why did he even care about Hyunwoo? Aside from the fact the man had been far too obvious about his crush. And why does that make Kihyun blush?! He groaned loudly and went back to chopping the mountain of vegetables in front of him. Yes Hyunwoo was good looking and apparently Robin Hood of their neighborhood but still! He rubbed a hand over the bandage on his neck and frowned. 

Kihyun turned to stir the different broths he had been preparing since yesterday. He was warming them up now after the flavors hit the way he wanted them too. Kihyun remembered inviting Hyunwoo for lunch and he smacked himself on the nape. I mean technically he didn’t have to actually go see him since he was the cook after all. But there was a strange sensation of guilt in his stomach when he thought that. Hyunwoo had looked so genuine last night. It was frustrating! He heard his phone go off and smiled at the waterfall of text messages from his friends. He replied back that he was safe and at work. They were used to his workaholic ways anyway. 

He had finished placing things in the fridge when he swore he heard a loud knocking. Kihyun hesitated for a moment before it sounded again. He felt wary but his feet pulled him from the kitchen to find the sound. It didn’t take long to unravel that mystery. Hyunwoo was standing, surprisingly, outside of the restaurant holding coffee. Kihyun almost laughed at the sight since he knew that Hyunwoo could just get in. But he also felt his heart stutter at the fact that he had resisted. Kihyun smiled and unlocked the door when he realized Hyunwoo was still standing there. Way to look like an idiot Kihyun. 

“I brought you coffee” Hyunwoo said almost sheepishly, “again.” Kihyun raised a brow at the man before accepting the cup. He was trying to not show how amused he was at that confession. “Thank you Hyunwoo-hyung.” Kihyun muttered as he took a sip of the warm liquid. He felt it almost ease in to his limbs and he knew the smile he showed told Hyunwoo he was grateful. “Well it’s not lunch” Kihyun said as casually as possible, “but if you’re hungry I can make you something.” He motioned with his head and saw Hyunwoo’s eyes light up. “Really? I’m starving actually and your food is great.” He looked almost too giddy but Kihyun recalled how fast he had ate last time. Well the last time he actually witnessed it. 

Kihyun turned on his heel and heard Hyunwoo follow him in to the kitchen. He watched as the taller man peered around curiously, sniffing at the things cooking with wide eyes. Kihyun laughed quietly to himself which caught Hyunwoo’s attention, “What?” His brow rose now much like Kihyun’s had and it made Kihyun clear his throat loudly. “Ah, nothing you just look really happy.” He waved a hand at Hyunwoo as he grabbed a clean bowl. He could sense the man standing closer but he kept his eyes on what he was doing. “You know they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?” Hyunwoo spoke up and Kihyun paused. 

It was quiet still for a few more seconds before Kihyun snorted and started cackling. He bent over for a second while he laughed, “Is that-is that how you really flirt?” He gasped and wiped at his eyes when he finally caught his breath. Okay he had to admit that flirting was a lot cuter than acting all cocky. He realized Hyunwoo had remained silent so he was about to look at him when a large hand very gently cupped his jaw. The hand turned Kihyun’s head and pulled forward slightly so Kihyun’s lips collided gently with Hyunwoo’s plush ones. Kihyun’s eyes were wide when it happened but he felt them drift close on their own accord. He’d just blame fatigue or something. The warm lips against him almost made him sigh but he managed to keep that in. 

Hyunwoo pulled away and looked at Kihyun before smiling, “I’ll eat in the dining area.” He said it happily and grabbed the bowl Kihyun had filled gently from his hands. Kihyun’s face was flushed and his brain was still trying to catch up when Hyunwoo disappeared from the kitchen. How long he stood there he wasn’t entirely sure but he suddenly heard Minhyuk’s loud singing in the other room. He jumped and mace himself look busy with things as the enthusiastic male walked in followed by a very kicked puppy looking Jooheon. Kihyun winced at Jooheon’s expression, “Forget what I said yesterday Jooheon-ah.” He said it fast and filled the silence with steady chopping. 

He saw Minhyuk’s grin from the corner of his eyes but he just sniffed and continued working. The two men finally left, Jooheon brought in an empty bowl at one point, and Kihyun focused on the food. That was the safest option. 

—————————————————————

The day was mostly uneventful for Kihyun; it picked up slightly when Hyungwon came in. He stayed all day lounging mostly but sometimes helping Minhyuk when necessary. And like an obedient puppy Hoseok came to sit with him. Mostly stare. Kihyun noticed Hoseok had winced when he casually ran a hand through his hair and Hyungwon had looked embarrassed suddenly. He had studied them a few times before finally grabbing Minhyuk, “What’s with those two?” He asked quietly.

Minhyuk shrugged, “Pretty sure they’re going to bone.” Kihyun rolled his eyes and swatted his friend. “They like each other.” Minhyuk said while rubbing his arm with a frown. Kihyun accepted that answer and watched the two awkwardly interact for a few more minutes. It had been awhile since Hyungwon was remotely interested in anyone so Kihyun decided to let it be. Honestly Hoseok seemed like a giant marshmallow the majority of the time so he wasn’t too worried. His eyes wandered over to Jooheon and Minhyuk now. They were leaning against the small front counter area talking. Jooheon was blushing and Minhyuk was probably flirting with him by the body language alone. He felt a tiny ache of loneliness but pushed it away. He had other things to do anyways. 

Kihyun finished cleaning up the kitchen and stretched with a groan. Minhyuk and Jooheon were out front cleaning. He heard the front door jingle which made him curiously peer out. Hyungwon came in carrying a plastic bag followed by Hoseok. And then Hyunwoo. Kihyun pulled his head back in the kitchen with a gulp. He had been ignoring what happened this morning pretty well but now it all rushed back like an avalanche. The feeling of warm lips against his own. Hyunwoo’s light cologne. Kihyun slapped at his cheeks in irritation. He was an adult he’d kissed before why was he freaking out now?!

“Kihyunnie! Come drink soju!” Minhyuk’s loud voice called from the front area and Kihyun grimaced. He couldn’t think of a good excuse to pass. And honestly the idea of going home alone was just a tiny bit frightening. What if someone was waiting for him? Kihyun shivered and removed his apron slowly. Just a few drinks wouldn’t hurt. He went out to the dining area watching his friends laugh and set bottles down. He casually ignored Hyunwoo staring at him as he pulled a chair out to plop down tiredly in it. Hyungwon said something to Hoseok who laughed loudly. Kihyun felt a weird sense of comfort in his stomach watching how happy everyone looked. 

He heard the chair closest to him pull out across the floor before Hyunwoo sat down in it. He sat with his legs open so his knee kept brushing on Kihyun’s knee. He knew Hyunwoo did it on purpose so he ignored it. After a few shots of soju Kihyun felt a lot lighter than when he started. His eyes finally looked at Hyunwoo and studied him. The taller male threw back more soju before his eyes met Kihyun’s. The other males were all noisy and currently Minhyuk was hanging off of Jooheon’s neck happily. Kihyun smiled at that and flinched when a warm hand caressed his thigh. He knew his face was already red so at least his blush wasn’t as obvious. 

He raised a brow at the larger hand on his thigh and then looked at Hyunwoo. “What are you doing?” He asked quietly just so only Hyunwoo would catch it clearly. Hyunwoo smiled, “Resting.” He wagged his eyebrows at Kihyun who scowled at him. He went to pick the hand up but it quickly curled around his hand to pull him bodily in to Hyunwoo’s waiting lap. Kihyun sputtered on all the curses he was trying to get out when Hyungwon’s voice reached him, “Jeez get a room!” He heard the cackling of everyone else but was too busy staring at Hyunwoo’s face to respond to the teasing. It was like the room was muffled as they stared at one another. 

Logically he should have punched him. Or slapped him. Hell even getting off his lap would have been appropriate now. Yet he remained. Why? Kihyun couldn’t exactly answer that. The warmth from Hyunwoo’s body must be doing things to him. The longer he stared at Hyunwoo the harder it was to remember why exactly he avoided getting close to him. After a few more seconds of silence he felt Hyunwoo grip under his legs and around his back as he stood, picking him up bridal style. His friends all glanced at him curiously, “We’re going to have a chat.” Hyunwoo simply said and carried the startled cook in to the kitchen. 

Hyunwoo carried him to his nice, clean prep table and sat him down on the edge. Kihyun’s mouth gaped as he stared at Hyunwoo who pressed himself in between Kihyun’s legs. “Wha-what are you doing?” He stumbled out his question at the ever calm Hyunwoo. The male cocked his head to the side and regarded Kihyun for a moment, “This.” His lips collided with Kihyun’s again except this time was filled with more urgency, more longing. Kihyun wasn’t startled as much as last time and he told himself to definitely not clutch Hyunwoo’s shirt. And then his fingers grabbed at the other male’s shirt tightly. Kihyun sighed as Hyunwoo’s thumbs brushed both sides of his jaw. He tilted his head and nipped Kihyun’s lip until he opened so he could slide his tongue in. 

What was he doing? Did he even care anymore? It had been months and months since Kihyun had last been intimate in any way with someone. He’d been too busy. His hands brushed over Hyunwoo’s broad shoulders and then down the front of his chest which made Hyunwoo grip at his waist tightly. He released Kihyun’s mouth only to kiss across his jaw and down his neck. Kihyun hissed at a hard nip that Hyunwoo licked and kissed over. His brain was clouded with lust and the urge to jump Hyunwoo. Could he blame the soju? He grabbed at Hyunwoo’s hair and pulled his lips back to his mouth with a whine. The deep chuckle from the other simply made more heat develop in his body. 

Honestly Kihyun had to be insane at that point. He bit on Hyunwoo’s bottom lip playfully and gasped when a hand brush over the crotch of his pants. There was a voice somewhere in the back of his head telling him to slow down, to stop. But then Hyunwoo’s hands slipped under his shirt to caress his skin and Kihyun shut the voice out. Hyunwoo’s mouth went to kiss right under Kihyun’s ear softly, “My place?” Kihyun felt nerves fly through his body but the warmth pooling in his groin was making it hard to think. He could feel Hyunwoo’s lips ghosting over his neck, waiting for an answer. 

What would this do to them? He knew he didn’t need to have sex nor would Hyunwoo force him too. But if he went and if they fooled around what would their relationship be? Technically people already wanted to hurt him simply because they assumed Kihyun was with Hyunwoo. So for them nothing would change. Kihyun nibbled on his own lip for a second of hesitation before finally muttering, “Let’s go.” He felt Hyunwoo’s plush lips smile against the skin of his neck and Kihyun shivered. He was gently pulled from the prep table and kissed hard again. His head felt dizzy as Hyunwoo intertwined their fingers together to pull him out of the kitchen. 

The other four males looked at them like owls but the two paid them no attention as Kihyun followed along with Hyunwoo’s gentle tugging. The outside air was cold but the heat in his body stayed. He hoped this wasn’t a mistake, hoped he knew what he was doing. And hoped Hyunwoo was as sincere as he seemed.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You need to use your wits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *distant cackling*

Kihyun was pretty confident with himself. He had sobered up a little; enough to plot. Things may be complicated around him but he was damn tired of being pulled along. He was strong and he could protect his friends! Okay maybe he wasn’t a fighter like Hyunwoo or Hoseok but you didn’t need to be physically gifted to stay one step ahead. Intelligence is a weapon to be reckoned with and never to be taken lightly. Kihyun knew he was smart and he was going to start using his brain in this weird tango. 

Riding in Hyunwoo’s car was surprising only because Hyunwoo was apparently more sober than Kihyun had thought. But that wouldn’t stop him! Sure his nerves were on edge but Kihyun was raised to be stubborn and he refused to back down. He periodically snuck glances at Hyunwoo as the male drove quietly. His plush lips were tempting, very tempting. And his stoic features weren’t intimidating like they used to be. He studied his side profile and coughed loudly when Hyunwoo glanced at him. He ignored the smirk the other was officially wearing. 

Once Hyunwoo had parked his sleek car Kihyun quickly jumped out. Okay he had to put his plan in to action but he needed to stay one step ahead. Hyunwoo raised a brow because it probably looked like Kihyun was super eager. The shorter male led Hyunwoo inside as he seemed content to just stroll behind Kihyun. In the elevator it was worse and Kihyun almost lost his nerve. Hyunwoo was right by him. Literally their arms brushed and Kihyun had to hold his breath a few times to focus. 

They both entered the apartment quietly but as soon as Hyunwoo had shut the door and clicked the lock did Kihyun put his plan in action. He grabbed Hyunwoo by his wrist and pulled him to the couch. Kihyun was sure Hyunwoo was letting himself be dragged but whatever it was still working. Hyunwoo allowed himself to be pushed down and his eyes actually widened when Kihyun straddled him. His hands gripped Kihyun’s thighs but a finger was placed against Hyunwoo’s lips to stop him from moving. 

Focus Kihyun! The soft lips under his finger was not helping but he put his hands gently on Hyunwoo’s shoulders and smirked at him. “You like making deals right?” Kihyun all but purred out at the taller male. Hyunwoo raised a brow but Kihyun could tell he was intrigued. “Depends on the deal.” Hyunwoo replied casually and Kihyun snorted. “Let’s make a deal” Kihyun finally spoke and brushed his hands along the shoulders he was holding, “You said you want me, right?” Kihyun’s hand lazily caressed along Hyunwoo’s neck to his jaw. The taller male nodded and Kihyun could see his skin starting to flush. 

It was an oddly powerful feeling to affect someone like Hyunwoo. Just being perched on his lap and touching him seemed to make Hyunwoo react. “Well how about this” Kihyun brushed a thumb on Hyunwoo’s bottom lip, “Take care of the crazy guy for me. Keep him from touching my friends and interfering with the restaurant” Kihyun leaned forward slightly, “And I’m all yours.” He saw Hyunwoo hesitate, “What do you want me to do?” Kihyun thought for a moment mostly because he just assumed Hyunwoo would have a plan or an idea. “You’re smart, I know you’ll figure it out.” Kihyun murmured and finally pressed his lips against Hyunwoo’s. Truthfully he wasn’t sure what to say. He’d never condone murder or anything. But how could he get rid of the guy? Kihyun would brainstorm later.

Was he really bargaining his own self with Hyunwoo just to guarantee safety? Hell yes he was. Okay Hyunwoo was also really good looking too and Kihyun couldn’t help his attraction to the irritating man. But regardless he had to make sure Hyunwoo stood by his words and fixed the problem. He didn’t want to give up the restaurant but he was also afraid that something bad would happen. If promising to sleep with Hyunwoo made sure he came out on the winning team he would do it. 

He felt hands grip his waist tightly as Kihyun moved his lips against Hyunwoo’s. The taller male groaned against his mouth when Kihyun purposefully rocked his hips. After a few breathy seconds he felt Hyunwoo pull back slightly, “But Ki you seem confident” Hyunwoo nipped Kihyun’s bottom lip, “What makes you so sure you won’t fall in love with me?” The cocky look took over Hyunwoo’s features. Kihyun felt his body freeze over as a weird fluttery feeling started in his stomach. He knew he was staring at Hyunwoo so he reminded himself he was supposed to be confident and in control. 

Kihyun let his hand wander up Hyunwoo’s nape before he buried his fingers in his hair and pulled his head back more. “You’re pretty confident Son Hyunwoo” Kihyun narrowed his eyes at him as he nipped his jaw once, “You should worry about yourself.” He dragged his teeth on Hyunwoo’s neck causing the taller man to hiss before Kihyun released his grip. And before Hyunwoo could retaliate the shorter male got off his lap in the blink of an eye. Hyunwoo eyed him like prey from where he sat and Kihyun felt his nerves going in to overdrive. “Do we have a deal?” Thank god his voice sounded confident at least. 

Hyunwoo cocked his head to the side and spread his legs casually while watching Kihyun, “Deal.” Kihyun inwardly begged himself to not look at Hyunwoo’s thighs or his crotch or anything that wasn’t his face. “Great! Keep me updated.” Kihyun said with far too much enthusiasm and then he did the second most surprising thing that night; he waved at Hyunwoo before leaving the apartment. Kihyun’s heart was in his throat as he casually fast walked to the stairs instead of the elevator. As soon as he entered them he all but ran down them like a bat out of hell. Adrenaline was roaring through his veins. 

He sure hoped Hyunwoo wouldn’t come after him because all his confidence had left his body. There was no way he could channel earlier Kihyun. So the short male exited the building in record time and jogged off down the sidewalk, phone in hand calling a taxi. What an eventful night. 

—————————————————————

Hyungwon fished his cellphone out of his pocket, man these jeans were tight, and smiled at the text Kihyun had sent. He was at home and going to bed. Hyungwon had been sure Kihyun would be with Hyunwoo still but surprises were possible. Currently Hyungwon had a long coat on over a long sleeved shirt and tight black jeans. He strolled down the sidewalk sobering up with another male. A deliciously muscular one who he really should avoid but that damn smile kept drawing him in. 

Said muscular male had pulled a sweater on over his broad frame and his jeans seriously looked painted on. Hyungwon had stared at them a few times just to make sure they were infact real jeans. Hoseok was smiling happily still slightly buzzed as they walked along. “Hyungwon-ah you’re so handsome.” Hoseok said again for the third time so far. Hyungwon had heard that a lot in his life being a model but when Hoseok said it with his cute lisp it felt like the first time. He cleared his throat and continued looking ahead, “So you’ve said Hoseok-ah.” Casual reply, perfect! 

Hyungwon ran a hand through his blonde hair and finally glanced again at Hoseok. Man he had cute ears. “You know you’re not exactly how I imagined you’d be.” He saw Hoseok’s grin falter slightly before he slowed to a stop. “What did you expect me to be?” Hoseok finally asked and looked at Hyungwon. The tall male studied Hoseok’s features quietly as he leaned against a light post. “You’re sweet.” Hyungwon replied instead of saying he expected him to be an asshole. From personal experience he’d dealt with a lot of good looking guys with awful personalities. 

Hoseok crossed his arms and Hyungwon stared intensely at them now. “Is that a problem?” He heard the teasing in Hoseok’s voice and his eyes found his face again. “No” Hyungwon hesitated even though he knew they were alone, “It’s nice. For me at least.” He cleared his throat as he felt way too honest now. He hated being vulnerable like this. You needed an iron spine to deal with the industry he was in. He saw Hoseok move closer to him and a hand touched his cheek. “I want to be sweet with you.” The muscular male murmured and Hyungwon felt himself blush. Dammit Hyungwon you’re a model! People have recognized you from pictorials why are you blushing like a virgin?! 

He glanced away from the dark eyes reading his face and turned to begin walking again. Hoseok fell in to step beside him as they walked in silence. After awhile Hoseok spoke up again, “Are you seeing anyone?” Hyungwon hid a smile as he kept looking straight ahead. “No.” He ran a hand through his hair again because he could feel Hoseok watching him. He stopped walking abruptly which seemed to startle Hoseok. Facing the muscular male he crossed his arms and raised a manicured brow, “Why? Are you interested in me?” Hyungwon was confident. He oozed it from his pores. There was rarely a moment he let insecurity in because he couldn’t afford it. 

Hoseok cleared his throat and crossed him arms again too, mirroring Hyungwon’s stance. “Does it bother you that I am?” He asked it teasingly but there was a part of Hoseok deep down that was worried he bothered Hyungwon. He definitely wasn’t like the models the other probably knew or dated. He saw Hyungwon smile now, “No it doesn’t bother me.” He winked at Hoseok now and began walking with him once more. Their quiet footsteps were comforting as their arms kept brushing. “Can I take you on a date?” Hoseok asked suddenly before he could catch himself. 

Hyungwon tried not to grin too boldly at the idea, “You can.” He replied so nonchalantly that he impressed himself. A warm sensation touched one of his hands and he registered Hoseok’s fingers right as he gently took Hyungwon’s hand. The tall male blushed but didn’t pull away from Hoseok and the two men continued walking happily.

—————————————————————

Hyunwoo sat on the couch in the same spot long after Kihyun had left. Tonight had been surprising to say the least. The spark of confidence Kihyun possessed was addicting. And when his fox like gaze settled on Hyunwoo it made his heart race. He felt a little pathetic to be chasing after someone for scraps of attention but he knew Kihyun wanted him. He was fighting himself but the feelings in Kihyun’s eyes told Hyunwoo what he needed to know. 

And he was a bargaining man; he did love deals. Some of them had kept his kneecaps when he was younger. Sure it was probably frowned upon to be taking advantage of a situation of weakness but Kihyun was the one who had brought it all up. Sassy minx. Hyunwoo chuckled and stood, stretching out his back as he fished his phone out of his pocket. He saw some weird gibberish from Hoseok but he was at least able to make out that tall guy’s name. He rolled his eyes knowing Hoseok was going to gush about him for hours tomorrow. 

He typed a message quickly in his phone and grabbed water from his fridge while waiting for a reply. The vibration made him glance at it and smile. There was a good detective, one who knew Hyunwoo well. He helped him out when he could but he had to be careful for obvious reasons. Hyunwoo wasn’t kidding when he told Kihyun there were dirty cops everywhere. After a few seconds his phone began vibrating steadily as he got a call. Hyunwoo sat his water down and answered the phone, “Hello Uncle.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not everything can be sunshine and roses; how do you breach a gap you can’t quite understand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should I apologize for this chapter? We all gotta suffer together. 
> 
> TW Mentions of death

Safe to say things had gone pretty smoothly the last week. After his proposition to Hyunwoo it seemed as if any hooligans who got near would be chased off. It would be a subtle chase of course but Kihyun couldn’t deny that Hyunwoo seemed good on his word. Which made him painfully nervous because a deal was a deal. Kihyun’s word was also just as good and even if he may have bitten off more than he could chew he’d still do it. He had kept the whole thing from his friends for the time being simply because he wasn’t sure how’d they react. 

It was early one morning that Kihyun found himself very confused. As he approached the restaurant he noticed an older male peering in. And then he’d step back to scribble in a notebook. Compared to the angry bald guy this male looked fairly harmless. He didn’t scream bad guy or anything. On the contrary he was wearing a decent suit and reminded Kihyun almost of an office worker. But that still didn’t explain what he was doing. Kihyun tugged his coat tighter around himself and stopped a few feet from the guy. 

“Can I help you?” He asked loudly and was surprised the guy didn’t jump. He looked at Kihyun who noticed the male was well groomed, him possibly late 40’s in age. He eyed Kihyun for a moment, “You must be Kihyun.” The smile he offered wasn’t malicious and Kihyun would have relaxed but who the hell was this guy? “Who are you?” Kihyun narrowed his eyes at the man who still looked happy as can be. “Oh! I’m sorry” he responded as he shoved his notebook back in his pocket, “My name is Son Hyung-soo.” He extended a hand to Kihyun who shook it slowly. Wait a second, “Do you know Hyunwoo-hyung?” Dammit Kihyun filter yourself!

The man chuckled in amusement before nodding, “Yep he’s my nephew actually, my only nephew” He still seemed in a good mood as he spoke, “He asked me to pop by to look at a few things.” Kihyun blinked and caught himself glancing over at the Tattoo shop across the street. It looked lifeless but he knew Changkyun was probably in there somewhere for sure. “Um what are you looking for?” Kihyun asked finally and turned his attention back to the man. He seemed to contemplate before indicating at the restaurant, “Easier to talk inside.” 

Kihyun narrowed his eyes at him but finally sighed and unlocked the door. He followed Hyunwoo’s uncle inside and crossed his arms. The older male sat down in a chair and stretched his legs out. He finally looked fully at Kihyun, “I’m a Detective” He finally answered at least Kihyun’s curiosity, “My nephew told me about a few things that has happened.” Kihyun nodded and pulled a chair out for himself. He sat down feeling a weird ball of nerves in his stomach but indicated for the man to continue. “I was checking different points of the entrance, honestly if I can get video evidence of a crime it would sure help me out and you of course.” Kihyun raised a brow but nodded again. 

The male sighed and leaned forward, “I’m sorry you’ve had so much trouble. This neighborhood used to be safe and I’d like to help bring it back but those guys are slippery” He rubbed at his jaw as if thinking of his words, “I need as much evidence gathered just to keep them overnight at this rate.” He felt a moment of sympathy for the male who looked suddenly exhausted by the world. He still offered Kihyun a friendly smile and that made Kihyun’s decision making easier. “I’ll install security cameras.” He said and the detective lit up like Christmas. After going over some details the Detective left the restaurant looking way more energetic than earlier. 

Kihyun smiled to himself and was about to head in to the kitchen when the door to the restaurant opened again. His eyes found Hyunwoo immediately who stood there with his hands tucked in the pockets of tight jeans. Was this man trying to kill him by showing off his thighs?! Kihyun figured he should keep that to himself. “Good morning Ki” Hyunwoo spoke as he walked closer to Kihyun, “I saw my uncle leaving, thought I’d stop by.” Kihyun raised a brow but nodded. He was pretty sure Hyunwoo had been watching the whole time. 

He saw Hyunwoo hesitate before he stepped so close to Kihyun he could smell his light cologne and fresh scent. Kihyun’s face turned red as Hyunwoo’s hands gently cupped his jaw, “I’m glad you’re letting me help you” The taller male muttered down at him, “I want to keep you safe.” Normally Kihyun would have scoffed and made a rude comment but Hyunwoo looked so serious that he couldn’t get any words out. The tension came back immediately and Kihyun couldn’t move a muscle as Hyunwoo leaned down to press his lips against Kihyun’s. It was strange because it felt so oddly affectionate compared to the other times. 

And instead of pushing him away Kihyun may have enjoyed the feeling of Hyunwoo’s warm lips against his own. Sure it had nothing to do with keeping them all safe but Kihyun had to admit it was nice. Plus no one else would see him raise his own hands to rest them on Hyunwoo’s gently. Maybe he needed his head examined but how could he explain his actions? It was like he thought one way but reacted differently. Kihyun was successfully confused.

—————————————————————

At this rate you think Kihyun would be used to strange occurrences. He was used to Minhyuk and Jooheon giggling with each other; he was even used to Hyungwon coming by with Hoseok in tow. He heard from gossipy Minhyuk that Hoseok had even went to a shoot Hyungwon had. And of course Kihyun was totally not bitter. Definitely not. Especially when he was hanging out with himself at night. Okay maybe there was a tiny bit of envy but he knew that anything with Hyunwoo would be so exhaustingly hard, would it even be worth it? They’d probably just annoy each other after awhile. 

But currently Kihyun was finishing his cleaning as Minhyuk cackled loudly in the dining area. Honestly the sound made Kihyun smile because it meant Minhyuk was happy instead of scared or worried. He finished scrubbing a few knives he preferred to use and dumped some empty containers in the last bag of trash he needed to take out. Luckily they had a small side alley with a dumpster to put all their trash. Sure it was creepy at night but Kihyun was growing used to it. 

He propped the back door to the alley open with a doorstop. He didn’t want to have to run around to the front like an idiot if he locked himself out. He hefted the large bag up that was securely tied and began shuffling to throw it away. It occurred to him that he wasn’t alone when the sound of scuffling reached his ears. Kihyun blinked and sat the bag down quietly so he could peer towards the opening of the alley. Even in the dim light he could see two men grappling. A random hiss of pain accompanied a fist connecting with a body part. 

It took Kihyun a few seconds of squinting against the dim lighting and moving forward a few feet to realize he definitely knew one of the men. What the hell was Hyunwoo doing?! Kihyun realized they weren’t paying attention to him as they didn’t react to his gasp. And Kihyun surprised himself with his next course of action. He ran back in to his kitchen breathing hard with adrenaline and grabbed a pot. He scurried back outside and ran towards the two men brandishing the pot. Neither saw him in time as Kihyun swung it at the other man’s head. The sound of the pot hitting skull startled even Hyunwoo who stumbled back and fell on his ass. 

The other male had crumpled with the hit and Kihyun dropped the now dented pot right after. The two men stared at each other quietly before Hyunwoo got up and grabbed Kihyun up off the ground where he had very ungraciously sunk down on. Kihyun’s brain was having trouble sorting out his emotions and what the hell kind of drama he found himself in. He didn’t have a chance to comment on Hyunwoo’s busted lip as he was dragged back in to his own kitchen. Kihyun just let himself be pulled still wide eyed and not speaking. He’d never really hurt anyone before. So the trembling began after the adrenaline left his body.

Hyunwoo was leaning against the back door with his eyes closed silently until he finally looked at Kihyun. They made eye contact and Hyunwoo ran a hand through his hair, “What the hell do you think you were doing?” His voice was sharp and Kihyun continued to stare. “Why the fuck would you get involved?! What if you got hurt?!” Kihyun couldn’t figure out why Hyunwoo was so mad. I mean he protected Kihyun and his friends right? Kihyun finally found his voice, “Wha-what were you doing?” He stumbled over his words and he saw Hyunwoo scowl. “I saw someone going in to the alley from the shop when I was smoking” He said with a grouchy look still, “I was worried.” 

“Why didn’t you come tell us?” Kihyun breathed out still feeling shaky from the adrenaline rush. Hyunwoo leaned away from the door and was in front of Kihyun within seconds, “I’m trying to keep you safe! You don’t need to jump in you could have gotten hurt!” He watched Hyunwoo rub at his nape angrily and Kihyun felt a small twinge of guilt. He couldn’t stop his hands from touching Hyunwoo’s jaw, “But you’re hurt.” He murmured it softly and saw Hyunwoo freeze. The taller male’s eyes actually glanced away before looking back at Kihyun. “This-...I’ve had worse” He finally responded, “Just don’t do that again.” Kihyun could have rolled his eyes at his stubbornness if it didn’t remind him of his own personality. 

Kihyun glared at Hyunwoo, “You’re not my parent Hyunwoo-hyung. I’m not going to watch you get hit and do nothing.” He rolled his eyes now at the other who was scowling all over again. He felt a hand grip his wrist as Hyunwoo peered down at him, “I will lock you in my room if you try that again” he hissed out, “it could have been a trap, they could have snatched you.” Kihyun felt his own eyes narrowing, “I’ll climb down the damn building if you try that.” The air in the room became increasingly tense. It was like they both were boiling on the inside waiting to see who would boil over first. 

“Why are you so damn stubborn!” Hyunwoo hissed as his face was inches from Kihyun’s. Kihyun scoffed and raised a brow, “Are you serious? You’re the one with the issue.” He saw Hyunwoo’s jaw tense a moment as if contemplating what to do. The hand on his wrist had stayed and Kihyun considered head butting him. “This is not your world Kihyun, no matter what you think” Hyunwoo finally spoke after a long moment, “You don’t get to run around and make decisions like you know what you’re doing because you don’t. You don’t get to decide.” In hindsight probably not the best word choice but Kihyun was unaware that Hyunwoo was terrible at wording his feelings; fear and worry clouded his mind so while he thought it all made sense Kihyun thought differently. 

He would learn what a bad idea it was to assume with Kihyun. The shorter male went from zero to a hundred so fast it almost gave Hyunwoo whiplash. He yanked so hard on his wrist that he actually freed himself and it would probably ache later. “Do you think for one fucking second about what you say” Kihyun’s voice was laced with fury, “do you think I enjoy this? That I enjoy having nightmares about getting my throat slit or my friends being killed?” Kihyun could feel himself losing the grip on his emotions, “Do you think this is fun for me?! Do you think I like being scared? That I enjoy wondering if I’m going to be hurt because I happened to be in your line of sight?!” Hyunwoo opened his mouth but the look Kihyun gave him made him close it. 

“I hate it! I hate being scared!” Kihyun snapped, “I’m fucking terrified you stupid asshole and I’m trying so hard to keep everyone safe I’m-I’m just-“ the dam broke. Kihyun felt the warm tears running down his face before his poor brain could tell him to shut up. He was so tired. He was scared, scared about the world they’d been dragged in too. Even if Hyunwoo and his friends weren’t the bad guys that didn’t mean the real ones didn’t exist. Kihyun felt the painful sob in his chest as he slapped a hand over his mouth. It took all of three seconds for Hyunwoo to react. Warm arms wrapped around Kihyun’s frame and he was pressed against a warm body. He felt Hyunwoo’s nose in his hair as he muttered soothing nonsense to him. 

Kihyun’s shoulders shook but he managed to muffle his own sobs. “Kihyunnie?” Minhyuk’s worried voice reached the two men which wasn’t surprising considering Kihyun had lost volume control for a moment there. “Hey what happened?” Jooheon’s voice was next and Hyunwoo just hummed at him. “Kihyunnie let’s go home okay?” Minhyuk’s voice was closer now and Kihyun wondered if Hyunwoo had a silent argument with his friend. But the warm arms slowly released him and Kihyun felt Minhyuk’s arm around his waist. “Honey lock up for me okay? I’ll text you later.” Minhyuk’s voice sounded strained and Kihyun didn’t catch what Jooheon said but it was apparently the right thing as his best friend bundled him out of the restaurant in record time. 

The silence in the kitchen would have been awkward for most people but Jooheon was used to it. He watched Hyunwoo warily and jumped a mile when the older male punched the nearest hard surface. “Fuck!” Hyunwoo yelled loudly and Jooheon wondered if it was in despair or pain. Or both at the same time. “Hyung?” Jooheon spoke softly and watched Hyunwoo. The older male sighed shakily and ran a hand down his face, “How can I protect him when I care so much already that I can’t think straight?” Hyunwoo’s words echoed in Jooheon’s head and he really wished Hoseok was there. “I don’t know hyung.” Jooheon replied quietly but he knew Hyunwoo heard it. And as if he was a ghost Hyunwoo was gone from the kitchen. Leaving behind a confused and worried Jooheon in his wake.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe we’re weak for each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *casually strolls by*

Minhyuk was usually the emotional one. He felt strongly with everything and his heart was so big Kihyun worried sometimes. But now it seemed that Kihyun was falling apart and needed Minhyuk to pick up the pieces. He sat by his friend in a park a few streets over. They were hidden from the view of the entrance just sitting quietly. Kihyun had finally calmed down and was just sorting his thoughts out. He felt like he was on a tightrope and anything he said would make him fall. He didn’t want to fall unless there was someone to catch him. But even then he’d hesitate. 

After a short silence passed Minhyuk finally spoke, “Maybe you should take a few days off?” His voice was quiet and serious. A far cry from his usual enthusiastic energy. Kihyun frowned, “I need to work. It keeps me grounded” He replied, “Doesn’t make sense I know but working in the kitchen is comforting.” He didn’t mention it was because he controlled his environment for the most part. The kitchen was his domain and under his rule. Except Hyunwoo threw a wrench in that too. Unintentionally of course but it was a big wrench. And Kihyun knew he was just protecting everyone but Hyunwoo still frustrated him. 

He heard Minhyuk hum in dissatisfaction, “I’m just worried about you. I don’t want to see you sad.” He looked at Kihyun now who finally glanced at him. “I’m not sad Minnie” He smiled as he spoke, “I love cooking. I like those grandmas who come in to pinch Jooheon’s cheeks every Wednesday. And that grandpa you argue with every Monday morning about market prices. It makes me happy watching.” Kihyun ran a hand through his hair and noticed Minhyuk was still looking at him dissatisfied. “Ki you don’t realize it but you’re always watching happiness around you” Minhyuk mumbled, “You can have happiness too you don’t have to watch it pass by.” 

The two men stayed silent after Minhyuk spoke. Was that what he did? Did he watch the happiness around him without being in it? Kihyun chewed hard on his bottom lip as he thought. He’d dated before but something always ended up more important than a relationship. Usually something with Minhyuk and Hyungwon. He was used to it and he loved his friends so he never saw a problem. Except he’s been that way for years. Kihyun groaned loudly, “How can any of us be happy with all the shit going on?” He finally said. Seriously they had gangsters breathing down their necks!

Minhyuk snorted in amusement, “Well yeah we may be in a bit of a pickle but” He looked at Kihyun again quickly, “We’re only human and sometimes you need to lean on others.” Minhyuk reached out and patted Kihyun on the head who just scowled at him. “I’m scared. I won’t say I’m not because I am. Knowing there’s people lurking that will just hurt you without a care is a nightmare” Minhyuk’s serious face was back, “And then I see Jooheon’s face with his cute dimples. I feel happy even in the situation, his cute shyness and his warmth help me through all this.” Kihyun’s face was red even though Minhyuk was the one talking. His guess that his friend and Jooheon had a thing was obviously right. 

And seeing Minhyuk smiling so wistfully made Kihyun finally smile too. He picked at his pants and listened to the world around them. Minhyuk patted his thigh suddenly, “I’m not saying it has to be Hyunwoo-hyung or anything but please be selfish for once and find your happiness.” Kihyun felt words clogging his throat; excuses to say. But he kept them back and simply nodded once. Minhyuk was satisfied by that and he leaned against Kihyun while they sat in the dark park. Visions of the future they hoped for dancing in their heads. 

—————————————————————

Kihyun flipped and flopped for two hours in his bed. Stupid Minhyuk and his stupid advice. Even if it wasn’t stupid. Kihyun flailed around violently for a moment before huffing. It doesn’t have to be Hyunwoo?! Well Hell guys aren’t exactly breaking the door down! Okay that may actually be his own fault but Kihyun still felt insulted. He grabbed his phone and stared hard at it. As if the device itself had offended his family. He kept staring until his eyes started burning from dryness and then he just felt dumb. He opened his text messages and angry jabbed a message to Hyunwoo. 

**Kihyun 1:29am:**  
Sorry  
Quit being overbearing though okay! 

Good. Great. Kihyun was satisfied. It was both their faults anyways. He settled down comfortably against his pillows when his phone dinged. Don’t look don’t look don’t look- Kihyun opened the message. 

**Hyunwoo 1:31am:**  
Come over 

Kihyun stared at the message and felt heat creeping up his neck. He almost looked around as if he expected someone to be watching the exchange. Clearing his throat he pursed his lips and quickly sent a reply back. 

**Kihyun 1:32am:**  
Not tonight 

Kihyun nodded to himself. There now he established whose boss! A dinging interrupted his own ego stroking. 

**Hyunwoo 1:33am:**  
Tomorrow then  
Goodnight babe 

The outraged noise Kihyun made sounded remarkably similar to a velociraptor. What just happened?! He was pretty sure he was calling the shots this time around but Hyunwoo stomped on that. And if he replied now he’d look like he was throwing a tantrum. Kihyun flailed around in bed angrily until he finally exhausted himself enough to sleep. 

—————————————————————

Kihyun found it hard to concentrate the next night. He saw Minhyuk giving him weird glances and Jooheon had asked if everything was okay. His brain was distracted by that annoying Hyunwoo and his stupid come over text. Like Kihyun was some whimpering maiden or something. He scowled and startled Minhyuk who had come on to pick up an order. “Ki what’s wrong?” Minhyuk asked with a raised brow. Kihyun kept scowling, “Nothing. I’ll be late home tonight.” He said quickly and put his attention back on the meat he was chopping. 

“Oooooh! Do you have a date?!” Minhyuk’s enthusiastic voice and mischievous grin made Kihyun frown hard. He was going to get frown lines at this rate. “No!” Oh that was a great response. He heard Minhyuk chuckling and knew his friend didn’t believe him for a second. “Hey you think Wonnie is going to work here?” Minhyuk’s voice interrupted Kihyun and he glanced up at his still grinning friend, “He just sits and sometimes complains. How is that working?” Kihyun’s eyebrow rose at Minhyuk seeming to contemplate that. “Maybe if we hired Hoseok-hyung....” He drifted off while carrying bowls away. “No Min!” Kihyun yelled after him and heard his laughter. 

When closing time came Minhyuk actually had the audacity to shoo Kihyun out of his own kitchen. They squabbled like a married couple until Kihyun found himself outside while Minhyuk waved enthusiastically. Jooheon was grimacing but waved when Minhyuk elbowed him. Kihyun rubbed his temples and looked down at his clothes. He wore jeans and a black t-shirt. He probably smelled like food. Kihyun sighed and combed his fingers through his black hair when a familiar voice spoke up beside him, “You ready?” Kihyun jumped hard and glared at Hyunwoo who was standing there with his usual stoic expression. 

“You scared me!” He hissed and checked his own heart rate as Hyunwoo snorted. Kihyun glared at him until Hyunwoo gestured at his car sitting nearby and walked off to it. Kihyun sighed and wondered how terrible this idea was before he finally followed behind the quiet man. The ride to Hyunwoo’s apartment wasn’t necessarily awkward as it was tense. Or maybe that was all in Kihyun’s head? He wasn’t sure but he scratched along his jeans a few times just to concentrate on something else. 

The elevator ride was actually awkward as Kihyun found Hyunwoo standing way too close like last time. He pretended to not notice but his blushing face probably gave that away. That and the knowing smirk Hyunwoo had as he indicated for Kihyun to exit first. He huffed at the taller man and all but stomped over to his apartment door. Hyunwoo was amused by his reaction as he laughed while unlocking the door and following Kihyun inside. 

“Alright now what-“ Kihyun began speaking but found himself suddenly up in the air and pressed against the now closed front door. He had to pause just to get his bearings in order before staring wide eyed at Hyunwoo who leaned against him casually keeping him pinned. “Wha-what the hell are you doing?” Kihyun stumbled out and Hyunwoo grinned like a cat. “Keeping you from escaping.” Kihyun imagined that was probably in reference to the time he’d run out of Hyunwoo’s apartment acting all confident. Crap. 

Kihyun looked at Hyunwoo quietly for a moment before the taller male crashed his lips against Kihyun’s. He gasped and that gave Hyunwoo enough time to press his tongue in to Kihyun’s mouth quickly. And Kihyun tried to remind himself why he should stop this, why he should bite Hyunwoo’s head off. Instead his hands grabbed Hyunwoo’s hair so he could kiss him back just as hard. He felt a brief smile from the other before the wall behind his back was gone and he was carried down a hallway. 

Hyunwoo’s bedroom was exactly as Kihyun figured it would be. Minimalistic and neutral in color. His bed looked huge and had a fluffy blanket on it with pillows. Kihyun’s back was pressed in to the mattress and he gasped again as Hyunwoo’s lips moved across his jaw to kiss at his neck. He tugged more on Hyunwoo’s hair in encouragement when the male bit gently on his neck only to lick over it. Maybe they shouldn’t? But maybe they should. Kihyun’s brain was far too fuzzy to really list out the pros and cons right now. 

Hyunwoo sat up long enough to pull his own shirt off and Kihyun couldn’t help but stare at the expanse of tan skin with muscle underneath. Before he could stop himself he reached out to touch a pec and caress down to his abs. It was innocent! Okay no it wasn’t and Hyunwoo’s quiet hiss made Kihyun’s ego hit the ceiling. He felt Hyunwoo’s hands on the bottom of his shirt and it was over his head swiftly. His pale skin stood out against Hyunwoo’s and his torso was more lean that muscular. He felt a blush spreading over his face as Hyunwoo’s eyes seemed to be memorizing every detail that he could see. 

Kihyun was about to complain about the staring when Hyunwoo bent down to lick across a collarbone. His lips and teeth nipped at Kihyun’s pale chest and when they brushed over a nipple he whined in his throat. Man it had been way too long and he was touched starved. He heard Hyunwoo hum as he continued to tease Kihyun until the shorter male wiggled with impatience. Hyunwoo’s eyes peered up at him from beside the top of his jeans and Kihyun hated that it was kind of hot. Damn Hyunwoo and his muscles! Hyunwoo seemed to hesitate for a moment before his fingers quickly made work of Kihyun’s zipper and button.

Normally he’d be embarrassed to already be hard but Kihyun noticed the way Hyunwoo would shift and almost hiss so he had a feeling they both were seeking friction. Hyunwoo nosed at Kihyun’s covered erection and Kihyun whined again. Apparently Hyunwoo had pity because he pulled Kihyun’s boxers down his legs so fast that Kihyun could only blink. Hyunwoo’s annoyingly warm mouth enveloped the top of his erection and Kihyun couldn’t control the groan he let out. His fingers found Hyunwoo’s hair and he whined low in his throat again at Hyunwoo’s tongue work. Could you die from a blowjob? Kihyun was moderately concerned. 

Hyunwoo’s lips pressed a chaste kiss against Kihyun’s erection as the sound of jeans rasping down legs could be heard. Kihyun could focus enough to see Hyunwoo had wiggled out of his own pants and if Kihyun was drooling at the sight of Hyunwoo’s erection he didn’t care. Okay so maybe that smug attitude came from somewhere. He noticed Hyunwoo looking at him smirking and Kihyun rolled his eyes. Hyunwoo leaned over him again and kissed Kihyun breathless. Kihyun took the time to run his hands across Hyunwoo’s back and arms. Enjoying the warm skin and scratching when Hyunwoo sucked on his neck. He felt Hyunwoo roll his hips against Kihyun’s causing them both to moan. 

Hyunwoo leaned up enough to reach over to his nightstand and dig around in a drawer. Kihyun knew what he was doing so he wasn’t surprised to see lube and a condom in Hyunwoo’s bigger hand. The room was silent as Hyunwoo shifted back over and Kihyun nibbled his bottom lip while looking Hyunwoo up and down. “Don’t you..” Kihyun’s hand ran down Hyunwoo’s stomach to brush softly against his erection and Hyunwoo groaned while squeezing his eyes shut before shaking his head. “Next time, want you so badly.” The taller male babbled out as he pressed his nose against Kihyun’s neck causing Kihyun to get goosebumps. He heard the bottle click open and felt a warmth in his chest when Hyunwoo hesitated again. Kihyun breathed out deeply before nodding enough that Hyunwoo could feel the movements. 

When Hyunwoo’s lube covered fingers dragged across Kihyun’s thigh to tease him open he was pretty sure he was going to die. He gasped at the sensation, digging his nails in Hyunwoo shoulders hard. The taller male simply kissed at his neck and jaw every time Kihyun would feel tense. Fingers moving and angling until they brushed over Kihyun’s prostate teasingly. He moaned and threw his head back against Hyunwoo’s pillows, tugging on Hyunwoo’s shoulders to have mercy and hurry up. He felt the grin against his neck as the sound of a wrapper opening caught his attention. Was Kihyun nervous? A little. But he was also so painfully turned on he wanted to punch Hyunwoo and kiss him at the same time. What a combination. 

He felt warm lips kissing over his collarbones again as Hyunwoo very gently lifted his legs to press them around his waist. Kihyun wasn’t even embarrassed at how quickly he complied with Hyunwoo’s touches and even dragged his nails across Hyunwoo’s upper back in impatience. He felt the moment Hyunwoo began pressing in to him. Even with preparation it had still been quite awhile so Kihyun groaned and squeezed his eyes shut. He felt Hyunwoo kissing across his face and it was sweet enough to have Kihyun open his eyes. Hyunwoo was looking at him and Kihyun felt a stirring in his chest that he really didn’t want to think about at the moment. Once Hyunwoo was finally in all the way he pressed his forehead against Kihyun’s and waited. 

The room was quiet aside from the harsh breathing they were both doing. Kihyun could feel the sweat on both their bodies and felt empowered by it. Hyunwoo’s jaw was tense as he waited for any indication to move and if Kihyun wasn’t so impatient he’d have made him wait longer. Kihyun moved his head up enough that he could softly kiss Hyunwoo’s lips which made the other open the eyes he had squeezed shut. He stared at Kihyun who bit on Hyunwoo’s bottom lip to tug it with a challenging look. Hyunwoo shifted and freed his lip to give Kihyun a smirk before he suddenly rolled his hips. If Kihyun had felt good earlier he was soaring now. His hands searched for a place to hold as Hyunwoo moved causing Kihyun to whimper and moan at the sensations surrounding him. 

Was sex always this good? Kihyun couldn’t remember but it was definitely good with Hyunwoo. Even if the man was irritating. Hyunwoo had his face buried in the crook of Kihyun’s neck as he’d pick the pace up only to slow down. Teasing Kihyun until he angled just enough to find his prostate again. And then Hyunwoo went from tender to intense within the frame of a second. He was almost merciless with his thrusting and Kihyun loved it. He panted Hyunwoo’s name followed with curse words. Nails leaving angry marks on Hyunwoo’s shoulders that would probably sting in the morning. Hyunwoo’s hands roamed Kihyun’s legs to lift him a bit more making Kihyun almost scream from pleasure. His poor body was overwhelmed by all the sensations. Hyunwoo’s lips on his neck and Hyunwoo’s hips using force to make him see stars. 

It was almost too much and not enough. And if Kihyun had sex on the regular he’d have been embarrassed about how quickly his orgasm snuck up on him. Hyunwoo must have sensed it as he whispered in to Kihyun’s ear while not giving him a moment to catch his breath until he finally orgasmed. Kihyun felt his back almost bow with the force of it and if he yelled Hyunwoo’s name when it happened you really couldn’t blame him. While Hyunwoo breathed against the skin of Kihyun’s neck he found his own orgasm right after. He groaned nonsense against Kihyun’s skin and panted as they both came down from their highs. Kihyun found himself running fingers through Hyunwoo’s hair as Hyunwoo pressed feather light kisses against Kihyun’s neck. 

Hyunwoo pulled out after a few moments making Kihyun hiss and Hyunwoo nuzzled his nose against Kihyun’s. He fell over beside a Kihyun and studied the shorter male who was still panting while staring at the ceiling. It was quiet, the room felt warm. Hyunwoo’s hand reached out to brush Kihyun’s cheek and the shorter male finally looked at him. They shared eye contact until Kihyun seemed to grimace at the lube on himself and Hyunwoo laughed. “One second.” Hyunwoo said and kissed the top of Kihyun’s nose before disappearing to get a wash cloth. Kihyun wondered if he should text his friends or maybe get dressed to go home? As soon as Hyunwoo came back with the wash cloth all reasonable thoughts vanished from Kihyun head until he just felt bone tired. And satisfied. 

Hyunwoo gently wiped Kihyun with the cloth before chucking it off somewhere in his room. Kihyun snorted and almost told him to go pick it up but Hyunwoo had slid in to the bed again while pulling that fluffy blanket over both of them. He didn’t flinch when Hyunwoo pulled him across the small space between them to hug his back to his chest. It was quiet and he could feel Hyunwoo brushing his lips against his shoulder as they laid there. The warm arms wrapped around Kihyun was making him drift to sleep. He felt safe for the first time in weeks which should have been alarming but he didn’t care as long as the warmth stayed. When his eyes had drifted closed and he slowly relaxed he heard Hyunwoo whisper against his neck, “You’re mine.” And then Kihyun fell head first in to dream land.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;-; We can’t only have nice things

You know in hindsight Kihyun should have considered sexual urges aside that he’d potentially be embarrassed after last night. Truthfully he knew he had wanted to do it and Hyunwoo had enjoyed himself fully; but now Kihyun felt like he was standing on a very strange cliff. No matter what choice he made there would be a consequence, that’s just how life worked in the end. Can’t have light without dark yada yada. So Kihyun slowly cracked an eye open to peer around a dim room and wonder how he should proceed. 

Hyunwoo’s curtains let enough morning light in to not be annoying thankfully. But that still didn’t solve his current predicament. Kihyun opened both eyes now and peered around looking for a sign. He could have just left aside from one tiny problem. Mainly Hyunwoo’s arm holding him in place like a damn anchor. He knew the other was asleep still and while the warm arm was nice Kihyun still needed to work. After a moment he got a determined look and gently lifted the arm from his body causing Hyunwoo to stir. He held his breath as he rolled to a stand. Grabbing blindly for his clothing and managed to get his underwear on before a voice made him jump, “What are you doing?” 

The voice didn’t sound mad or accusing, actually it was deep and groggy from sleep. Kihyun peered back at Hyunwoo who was peering at him with one eye open while scratching his head. Don’t look at his arms Kihyun! Kihyun went for a small smile, “I have to work.” He said it calmly enough because it was the truth. Minhyuk would probably burn the kitchen down. He heard Hyunwoo mutter something about it being painfully early before he pulled the covers over his head. Kihyun snorted, “Go back to sleep you big baby.” He chuckled as he picked his shirt up and pulled it on. 

Kihyun’s feet took him out in to the living room and it occurred to him that footsteps proceeded him. Hyunwoo came walking out a second later looking half asleep still while wearing jeans that rode low on his hips. Kihyun figured the white cloth in his hand was a shirt and his libido begged desperately for the man to put it on. He cleared his throat and raised a brow at Hyunwoo. The taller male grinned and pulled his shirt over his head, “I’ll drive you.” He said as he walked over to grab a coat. Kihyun blinked stupidly for a second, “I can call a taxi?” He said but wasn’t sure why he said it questioningly. 

“I’ll drive you.” Was the reply he received and he rolled his eyes hard. Retrieving his phone he followed Hyunwoo downstairs quickly, typing replies as he went to the billions of messages he had from his two friends. They weren’t going to let him live were they? He sighed as he sat in the passenger seat of Hyunwoo’s car while the older navigated early morning traffic. The silence wasn’t stifling or awkward this time but that didn’t mean Kihyun wanted to talk about last night. He needed to do some soul searching apparently. Or go live in the woods. Whatever.

As soon as Hyunwoo pulled over in front of the restaurant Kihyun breathed a sigh of relief. He unbuckled himself and glanced at Hyunwoo who was still staring at him. “Ah, thank you for driving me.” Kihyun muttered and before he could open the door Hyunwoo unlatched his own belt yo lean across the seats so his lips pressed against Kihyun’s. The surprise gasp Kihyun made was muted immediately when he felt his own lips respond. Hyunwoo’s hand brushed against Kihyun’s jaw before the taller male leaned back. Kihyun blinked in confusion before staring at Hyunwoo like an owl. The taller male chuckled and brushed his thumb over Kihyun’s lower lip, “Have a good day babe.” He murmured and Kihyun could only nod slowly as he stepped out of the car. 

It didn’t even occur to him what he had nodded at until Hyunwoo was gone. Kihyun face palmed once and shook out his limbs. Okay he could deal with all of this. He was an adult he could handle it. 

—————————————————————

No, no he could not handle it.

Kihyun stood in his kitchen with wide eyes. It had been trashed. Things thrown everywhere, food spilled all over the place. He knew for a fact Minhyuk and Jooheon would never do something so awful. His body felt cold as he tried to take in the scene with dread in his stomach. Was this revenge for that guy in the alley? Clearly he’d been up to something nefarious if this was the response. Kihyun’s stomach rolled with anxiety and nausea.

He was going to pull his phone out when he heard a foot step behind him. The hairs on his neck stood up and he slowly turned. A man stood there in a black jacket and dark clothing. He looked to be about Hyungwon’s height with short cropped hair and a mean scowl. “Who-who are you?” Kihyun asked but he was sure it was a whisper. “Boss said you have a week to bring back what’s his, your lover is too stubborn so I need to leave a message.” Kihyun blinked for a second trying to digest that information when his entire world was rocked by a hard jab to his jaw. He felt himself get propelled back only to fall over the stuff strewn across the floor. He groaned loudly and waited for more pain but it was silent. 

He dared to open his watery eyes to peer around. He was alone. He gasped at the lightning bolts of pain in his face while trying to sit up properly. The tears streaming down his face did little to help his mind. What the fuck what was this madness. Kihyun sobbed loudly once and winced at the pain it caused. Here he sat in the hurricane of his kitchen with probably a huge bruise blossoming on his skin. He felt his body go numb even with the pain trying to remind him. He should call the police, call the damn fire department something! But he sat and stared at his lap trying to decide where he went wrong in life. 

After a loud sniffling he pulled his phone slowly out of his pocket. It was still early and Minhyuk would definitely be dead to the world for at least another thirty minutes. He couldn’t do this and he knew that. Why did anyone think he could deal with this? Was the universe cruel? He scrolled through his phone until he found the number he was looking for. After a brief ring or two someone answered and Kihyun simply asked for a specific detective. Once he hurriedly explained he was told to sit tight. Well yeah what else could he do? 

—————————————————————

Kihyun was sitting on the prep table that was right side up again, an ice pack against his jaw and tired eyes. A familiar detective, Detective Son, had arrived five minutes ago and the look he had was pure sympathy. He peered around at the madness of the kitchen and had helped Kihyun up. He had called for his partner to stop in too and now he waited while scribbling information down from Kihyun. Of course the oppressive silence was interrupted by a loud shriek of worry from none other than Minhyuk. 

Kihyun looked up at his friend who was a lot more pale than usual. Minhyuk looked at Kihyun and then looked around the kitchen. He looked at the Detective who was still taking notes and back at Kihyun. Then his eyes were full of rage and he was gone from the doorway. Kihyun sat there still watching where his friend had been. Where was Minhyuk going? Kihyun could only sigh. He felt the Detective briefly pat his shoulder while he was texting something on his phone. Kihyun was going to need to clean at some point but he just wanted to sleep for a hundred years. 

The silence was broken by a sudden parade of foot steps. One freaked out Detective, the partner clearly, came in followed by a mass of others. Jooheon was holding Minhyuk’s hand and pulling him along. Kihyun’s eyes noted his friend was holding his free hand against his chest as if it hurt. Next came a wide eyed Hoseok who looked like he had quite literally rolled out of bed. And then the last to grace his kitchen was the man of the hour. Hyunwoo walked in with zero emotion on his face and a surprisingly busted lip. Well that explained Minhyuk’s hand. “You can’t just hit people Min!” Kihyun heard Jooheon hiss at Minhyuk who scoffed loudly and shot daggers at Hyunwoo. The Detectives had decided whatever they were discussing wasn’t important and went back to taking pictures of things while whispering to one another. 

Kihyun’s body still felt numb even as Hyunwoo carefully approached him, stepping over things to not break them or make them worse. His face appeared in front of Kihyun’s now and though he had no emotion on his face his eyes were filled with sadness. Kihyun flinched when he raised a hand to examine his jaw and he could see Hyunwoo clenching his teeth. “What happened?” Hyunwoo asked quietly and Kihyun slowly looked around before settling his eyes on Hyunwoo again. “They broke my spirit.”

—————————————————————

Kihyun found himself at Minhyuk and Hyungwon’s apartment wearing big, comfy clothes with snacks all around. Minhyuk and Hyungwon had gone to finish cleaning with Jooheon but demanded Kihyun stay at their place. He had a giant whale plushy in his lap which he currently was petting as he thought. He was replaying his most recent conversation with Hyunwoo; after he’d come to see the destruction that rained down on Kihyun’s head. 

_”Ki-“ Hyunwoo began speaking but Kihyun cut him off with a raised hand. “Don’t” He said with a low voice, “Don’t give me more shit to think about.” He saw Hyunwoo’s jaw still clenching but he stayed silent. “I have a week. A week to make up what you took which is probably fucking impossible-“ Kihyun breathed in sharply, “I’ll probably get killed in a week and I just can’t care anymore.” He saw Minhyuk shifting closer to him as Hyunwoo’s devastated face watched him. “Figure out your own life” Kihyun finally spoke again, “If I manage to live after all this I want nothing to do with you” He could see the crushing blow the moment it hit Hyunwoo’s brain with his words, “We’ll sell the restaurant, give the man whatever, and go far away from here.” Kihyun’s voice had become hoarse and even the Detectives were paying attention._

_Minhyuk was frowning deeply but didn’t argue against Kihyun’s words which was a good idea at the moment. Emotional or not Kihyun just wanted to hurt. “Kihyun please just-“ Hyunwoo tried to speak and ran his hands through his own hair angrily, “I’ll-I’ll fix this just-just don’t leave.” His words pierced Kihyun’s heart and his lower lip trembled but Kihyun just looked away. “Detectives if you need anything from me I’ll be at home, I need to rest.” He spoke quietly ignoring Hyunwoo as he did. He saw the Detectives share a look with each other before nodding at him, “Get some rest.” Hyunwoo’s uncle said to him with another sad smile. Kihyun slowly slid off the table he was sitting on to brush pass Hyunwoo as if he didn’t exist. Hoseok’s eyes were downcast as Kihyun looked at Minhyuk, “Take me home.”_

Kihyun knew his phone had a billion messages on it. Mostly from Hyunwoo. There may have been a few from Jooheon as well as Hyungwon but Kihyun just watched his phone light up periodically without touching it. His body hurt, his mind hurt, and his heart felt like it was cracking under the weight of everything. He knew Hyunwoo’s messages were probably pleading and if he read them he may become weak. Kihyun really wanted to be held right now which was frustrating because the only one he’d tolerate holding him was one of the reasons for his pain in a roundabout way. So Kihyun simply hugged the whale plushy tighter and cried.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somehow we have to work together right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, I’ve been unwell <3

Hyungwon surveyed the kitchen with his hands on his hips. It was 8am and Kihyun had slept at their apartment. They had simply put a sign out saying they were renovating because the truth would just scare people away. Kihyun had been a strange shell when they had talked about everything last night. Hyungwon was worried about him and he was about Minhyuk too. His usually bright friend had dimmed considerably though he tried to hide it. And the fact he punched Hyunwoo was proof enough he was rattled. 

He noticed he stuck around Jooheon a lot. The two men always found a way to touch each other. Maybe a brush of a hand or arm; something that looked both affectionate and reassuring. Jooheon had buckled down even if he was friends with Hyunwoo, he was a rock for Minhyuk and that eased some of the stress at least. Hyungwon had been so lost in thought that a throat clearing made him jump. He spun to see Hoseok standing there sheepishly. At first Hyungwon was confused but then remembered he had yet to respond to his messages. He sighed and smiled at Hoseok, “Hey Hoseokkie.” Upon hearing Hyungwon’s voice Hoseok perked up slightly, “Hello Wonnie.”

There was a beat of awkward silence before Hoseok moved quickly across the kitchen to embrace Hyungwon suddenly. His eyes were wide as the muscular arms held him tightly but his body relaxed and he wrapped his arms around Hoseok in return. “I’m sorry” Hoseok’s voice was muffled, “I’m sorry this happened. I miss you so much please don’t push me away.” Hyungwon nibbled on his bottom lip at Hoseok’s words. He had been in a weird middle ground; loyalty to Kihyun but feelings for Hoseok. He tightened his hug on Hoseok, “Never. I’ll never push you away okay?” He had made his decision. And when Hoseok leaned back to kiss him Hyungwon sighed in happiness. 

—————————————————————

Kihyun’s plan was awful but they had zero other ideas. He was planning to meet with the Detectives tomorrow to discuss more details but his friends looked very unconvinced. He was standing outside the restaurant with the feeling of eyes on him but he didn’t look around. Kihyun’s lower face was covered by a black mask and his fringe brushed his forehead. Hyungwon stood tight lipped by him and periodically looked his way. “Are you sure about this?” He muttered quietly to Kihyun who only nodded once in reply. Was he sure? Not really but was he desperate and depressed? Very much so. 

He had planned to contact the man of his nightmares tomorrow night. He was going to inform him he had the money and try to trap him in to admitting something. Something incriminating? Kihyun wasn’t even sure what counted as incriminating but the brief response from Detective Son seemed promising. He had to record their conversation and that really freaked him out. If he got caught....Kihyun didn’t want to entertain the idea. The other issue was keeping Hyunwoo out of it. First he’d never agree to the plan and second he’d probably butt in out of worry. Which was were poor Hyungwon came in. 

They were waiting for a mutual photographer friend to arrive. Kihyun had gone on a date or two with him but they never pursued a relationship. Mostly because Kihyun was always busy and they clicked better as friends. But Hyunwoo didn’t know that. When Hyungwon asked Kwon Ji-yong to do him a huge favor he wasn’t surprised he agreed. Apparently pretending to date Kihyun to chase Hyunwoo away was amusing enough for him. Of course Ji-yong thought it was just a nuisance crush issue and wasn’t aware of the other stuff. Kihyun had talked to him on the phone last night to make sure he was up for it. Now to be a great actor. 

Kihyun felt Hyungwon subtly nudge him indicating that he noticed movement from the tattoo shop. Kihyun had pulled his phone out to pretend to text while Hyungwon leaned against the building housing their restaurant. “Pretty sure Hyunwoo-hyung is going to burn holes in you with his eyes.” Hyungwon said while glancing off up the street. Oh Kihyun was very aware. He could feel the sensation of being watched and a quick glance told him Hyunwoo was out smoking with Changkyun. The tattoo artist raised a hand in a wave and Kihyun nodded at him. The sound of a quick beep beep of a horn made all of them look to the right as a white car with tinted windows rolled up. “Oh god here we go.” Kihyun heard Hyungwon mutter more to himself.

The car idled by the curb and loud music was playing inside as the driver door popped open. Out stepped a male with bright red hair, almost as tall as Hyungwon. He had on black sunglasses and grinned mischievously at Kihyun. He had on a black t-shirt with some obscure design and skinny jeans that hugged his legs tightly. His ears glinted with jewelry and Kihyun had to admit he was good looking, even if they weren’t compatible really. “Kihyunnie!” Ji-yong called with a purr. He approached Kihyun and hugged him. “Hey Ji-yong-hyung.” He replied in an equally amused voice. “Are you two heading out already?” Hyungwon piped up loudly and Ji-yong released Kihyun. “Mm going to have a lunch date, right Ki?” 

Kihyun would have laughed if this wasn’t serious so he nodded with a smile. “Wonnie I’ll grab you something on the way back.” He almost jumped when he felt a hand grab his but accepted it once he realized it was just Ji-yong. “Don’t take forever I’m not cleaning alone.” Hyungwon said in a resigned tone and Kihyun nodded seriously at him. He allowed himself to be tugged around the white car to the passenger side. Kihyun could still feel the eye burning sensation and a quick glance showed him Hyunwoo was openly staring with a clenched jaw. Honestly he looked murderous. But Kihyun simply looked away and climbed in to the car; keeping his eyes looking forward even when Ji-yong got in to drive away from the others. 

Kihyun’s eyes peeked at the side mirror and felt a weird pain in his heart when noticing Hyunwoo looking down. Not watching them anymore. It’s for the best, in the end it’s for the best. 

—————————————————————

Hyunwoo would disagree with Kihyun if the shorter male would give him a chance. Or answer his texts. Or calls. But nope Kihyun acted like Hyunwoo didn’t even exist anymore. At first Hyunwoo figured the incident a few days ago made him reclusive because it was most likely traumatic. It pained him to see him wearing a mask to cover his face. The bruise had bloomed nicely and stood out against his pale skin. But what was even more painful was the man who had arrived earlier that day. He hugged Kihyun and held his hand; Hyunwoo wanted to kick his ass. Changkyun had shaken his head and Hyunwoo tried to reign it in. When the car left however it was open season. 

Which is why currently Hyunwoo was sitting in the back office of the shop with a half empty bottle of soju in his hand. The desk had an already empty bottle he’d finished earlier also resting on it. Hoseok stood on the other side of the desk with a concerned look. “Hyunwoo just try to relax.” Hoseok said cautiously and received a glare from Hyunwoo. “Relax? Relax?! How the fuck am I supposed to relax?!” He stood abruptly and threw his soju bottle at the wall. Hoseok’s didn’t flinch simply eyed the broken glass. “Don’t destroy the building.” Hyunwoo glared hard at Hoseok at his comment. 

“You didn’t see it!” Hyunwoo scowled, “I pushed him away unintentionally and now-“ He rubbed at his temples before kicking the desk once. “Why am I not good enough?” Hyunwoo said quietly before looking at Hoseok, “Why isn’t it me?” His muscular friend frowned deeply at Hyunwoo’s words. Before he could answer Hyunwoo skirted around the desk and grabbed his jacket. “Hey wait!” He heard Hoseok call but he ignored him. He flew past Jooheon and Changkyun who were eating takeout out front and went to his car. “Hyunwoo!” Hoseok’s voice was lost to the night as tires squealed on asphalt. 

—————————————————————

And then there’s unsuspecting Kihyun. Who was sitting at home on his sofa watching a movie that he wasn’t paying attention too. Minhyuk and Hyungwon wanted him to stay another night but after two nights he had been ready to go home. He even cooked himself a quick dinner and didn’t feel any nervous edge. His black hair had no product in it still so it hung down and on his forehead. He had discarded his mask as soon as he was home and enjoyed the freedom of it. The shirt he wore was huge and his sweatpants finished off his comfy attire. Not so bad. 

Or so he thought. 

He had just turned the movie off and stretched when someone pounded on his door causing him to startle. What the? Kihyun’s heart raced hard as he stood slowly to tiptoe closer. Fear crawled up his spine and for a moment he wondered if he should call the cops until a voice called out, “Kihyun! Let me in.” Kihyun blinked at the familiar voice of Hyunwoo and grimaced. He contemplated leaving him out there but he had a feeling his neighbors would suffer. Grumbling under his breath he unlatched his door to open it only for the taller male to brush past him inside. “Oh do come in.” He said sarcastically before closing the door. 

Kihyun spun on his heel and regarded Hyunwoo silently. The other male looked tense. But also upset? If Kihyun didn’t know any better he’d say the other may have cried at some point but he wasn’t going to touch on that. Hyunwoo wasn’t even looking at him and Kihyun felt a weird anxiety now, “Hey are you okay?” He asked it softly enough and saw Hyunwoo flinch when he spoke. Kihyun realized finally that Hyunwoo looked vulnerable. When they first met that would have been almost amusing but now? Now it was unsettling. 

“Hyunwoo-“ Kihyun began again before he was cut off abruptly by Hyunwoo’s voice. “Are you in love with him?” Hyunwoo scowled and finally looked at Kihyun who blinked. “Huh? In love with who? Are you okay?” Leave it to Kihyun to forget his own plan as soon as he felt his caring side kick in. “That man!” Hyunwoo yelled and Kihyun raised a brow. Shit! He kept a poker face but Kihyun remembered everything now. He rubbed at his face tiredly before speaking, “Seriously? You stormed over here to ask about other guys?” Kihyun grimaced again at his own words. 

“Of course I did!” Hyunwoo angrily pulled at his own hair as if trying to ground his own thoughts, “I-I care about you! I like you! I want you and you just- ugh!” Kihyun cocked his head to the side. Okay maybe his ego was stroked a bit and he’d feel guilty about that later. “Why am I not good enough? Tell me” Hyunwoo finally looked at him again with a serious expression, “Why can’t I like you? Why do I have to be left behind by everyone I care about?!” Hyunwoo began pacing as Kihyun watched completely mute. He definitely didn’t expect this side of Hyunwoo. The male’s busted lip was also not helping. Was this how he felt when he saw Kihyun’s wounds? It wasn’t a nice feeling. 

“I didn’t mean for you to get hurt or involved” Hyunwoo seemed like he lost half his anger, “I had no idea you’d be targeted I thought I was careful and-..I’m trying, I’m trying so hard but I can’t stay away.” Kihyun felt all his own anger and torment at the situation diminishing slowly. The room fell in to a tense silence as Kihyun watched Hyunwoo who was looking somewhere else with a tired expression. Finally with an exhale Kihyun crossed his own living room and hugged Hyunwoo. “You idiot you involved me anyways” He felt Hyunwoo tensing up, “But I believe you, okay? I do.” Kihyun’s hands rubbed softly across Hyunwoo’s back now. “I like you too” Kihyun finally admitted that annoying nagging in his chest, “If we’re going to work out we need to work together, no more sneaking around so I get punched.” The last part was said with humor but Hyunwoo didn’t laugh nor did Kihyun. 

Finally after a moment he felt Hyunwoo hug him back tightly. Why did Kihyun feel relieved? Was it guilt? No he was sure it wasn’t guilt but he couldn’t identify it fully either. His stomach fluttered when Hyunwoo rested his cheek on Kihyun’s head. “Why do you smell like soju?” Kihyun asked with a frown and he heard Hyunwoo snort. The taller male leaned back and kissed Kihyun on the forehead. It occurred to Kihyun he just ruined his own plan of chasing Hyunwoo away. His only hope was the Detectives not mentioning it to Hyunwoo or one of his loud mouthed friends spilling the beans. “I’m tired.” Kihyun said suddenly and he heard Hyunwoo’s quiet chuckle. “Want me to tuck you in?” Kihyun hated how happy he felt to hear the teasing in Hyunwoo’s voice. Maybe he needed therapy? 

“Shut up you’re annoying.” Kihyun grumbled while pushing Hyunwoo away so he could scamper down the hallway to his own room. He jumped on his bed and scurried under the blanket until his head only popped out. Much to the amusement of Hyunwoo who had lazily followed behind Kihyun. He eyed the shorter male before pulling his own shirt off and tanking his pants down his leg. “Who invited you?!” Kihyun squeaked out as Hyunwoo clicked the light off and climbed in beside him. He snuggled against Kihyun and shushed his grumbling by hugging him. “Go to sleep, you’re exhausting.” Hyunwoo muttered and he smiled when he heard Kihyun laugh beside him.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danger around every corner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it’s short D;

Minhyuk was the cheerful one. The sunny one. The one with the 1,000 watt smile that kept the mood up no matter what. And yet he got sad. He felt unhappy or useless at times. You can’t always be the sunshine. 

With everything going on Minhyuk felt like he was constantly without energy. He wanted his friends to be happy so badly and yet misfortune seemed to come their way. He knew Kihyun was trying to keep the majority of the stress to himself but he was aware the ever observant Hyungwon was trying to relieve that burden. That left Minhyuk to try to gather the pieces and try again. Sometimes it was difficult and he didn’t know how he would face another day. Until a sharp eyed, orange haired male would come in to his view. And if only for a moment his happiness would be recharged. Jooheon went from adorable coworker to potential love interest pretty quick. Mostly because he let Minhyuk just pour affection on to him. 

And despite his fierce demeanor Jooheon also needed that affection. He needed a safe harbor as chaos unfolded around him. As his responsibilities exhausted all his mental capabilities. So Minhyuk became his safe place. They needed each other as they watched their friends implode. Like right now as Jooheon had come over in the middle of the night. He was currently curled around Minhyuk who was having an emotional breakdown earlier. But peace had resumed with Jooheon’s bodily warmth; so they could both finally sleep. 

—————————————————————

Do you know how hard it is to covertly sneak out of bed with someone far bigger than you? Actually pretty easy if that person had drank a lot before coming over and then they had a meltdown in your living room. Kihyun had been worried he’d have to come up with an elaborate reason for leaving bright and early. Tomorrow the restaurant would reopen regardless if crazy gangsters but Kihyun also had to implement the plan with the Detectives. Of course he was worried but he had run out of options at this point. If he involved Hyunwoo too much he risked the other getting hurt or in a lot of trouble. A punch to the jaw wouldn’t change how his conscience felt. 

Kihyun had changed in to jeans and a pullover before brushing his hair in to order. He peered periodically in at Hyunwoo who was still dead to the world before finally leaving his own apartment. The sun was out and birds sang but Kihyun didn’t feel cheerful at all. He took a taxi down to the police station and waited outside for the Detectives. They didn’t want to risk him being seen inside just Incase. In case of what? The rats of course who’d immediately snitch about him being there. He felt uncomfortable and put a mask on his face to try to calm his nerves. Definitely didn’t help and he was almost too relieved to see the familiar detectives head his way. 

They had decided to meet at a coffee shop nearby. More convenient than standing in an alley or something. Kihyun’s fingers wrapped around his warm coffee as he studied the steam rising from it. Detective Son sat down soon after followed by his partner. They both had serious looks on their face and had peered around for a moment before taking out notebooks. “Kihyun, I suppose you understand the risk involved?” Detective Son asked softly even though he was talking about the risk of a bad outcome. “Sadly I do.” Kihyun replies grimly and tapped his fingers on his to-go cup. “We need to gather something substantial that we can use with surveillance video from around your restaurant” Detective Son began speaking again, “If we can get him to admit to threatening you or the illegal goods he lost we’d be able to hold him easier.” 

Kihyun nodded slowly. He recalled Detective Son mentioning it was hard to keep him behind bars. He had a feeling it had to do with money and connections. Which is probably why Kihyun was so perfect for the role. He was unassuming, had already been pushed around. And very emotionally messed up all things considered. He felt on edge and angry at the whole predicament. He had always tried his best to be a good person but it seemed like it wasn’t going to matter in the end. Yet he knew there was one thing that didn’t cause him nearly as much anger as he first thought, Hyunwoo. The more exposed they were to each other the easier it was to see behind his facade. At first he wanted to drop kick him in to a new century but now the most he’d do is swat him. But still their relationship felt really complicated and he wasn’t sure how they’d survive this mess. Especially if Hyunwoo got wind of the plan. 

As if sensing Kihyun’s thoughts he felt his phone buzz with a notification. He ignored it for the moment and tuned back in to Detective Son’s voice. “We won’t just send you in alone, we’ll monitor everything from a surveillance van and be on standby if it goes awry” Detective Son’s partner nodded in agreement, “I’m sure you’ve watched movies before but we’re more professional.” The Detective chuckled at his own words and Kihyun smiled slightly. “So we’ll work out a sort of script for you to put your spin on and let you know as soon as we’re ready. I’d say in about two or three days?” The Detective pulled up a calendar on his phone and nodded. Kihyun sighed but attempted a friendly smile, “Okay I’ll be at the restaurant then.” The two detectives nodded at him and after saying their goodbyes they went separate ways. 

—————————————————————

Kihyun had read the text he received from Hyunwoo earlier and replied that he was at the restaurant. He stood in his put together kitchen and looked around slowly. Everything was pretty much in order now and most of the work was prep work since all the food was ruined. He didn’t bother looking at his phone again as he tied his black apron on. His hands were steady as he placed knives down on his prep table beside cutting boards. Different types of vegetables came next in large bowls. He moved over to the stove top to check on large pots with different variations of broth in them. Soon the kitchen warmed up and the smell of food began wafting out.

Kihyun was standing in front of the prep table mixing spices together in a small bowl when someone knocked on the door frame. He glanced up to find Hyunwoo standing there casually. “You left the door unlocked.” The stoic man finally spoke. Kihyun felt his lips twitch in a smile, “Thought I’d save you some time.” He picked up his knife again and started chopping in a steady pace. He noticed Hyunwoo came closer and inspected what he was doing, “Where’d you go earlier?” He asked and Kihyun side eyed him for a moment. “I had errands to run.” He replied simply and pulled more vegetables on to his cutting board. Hyunwoo nodded at him, “I’m sorry about last night.” He said it quietly but Kihyun heard him.

The chopping slowed down and stopped. Kihyun finally looked fully at Hyunwoo now with a frown. “Do you regret what you said?” He asked with a serious tone causing Hyunwoo’s eyes to widen. “No! I just....thought you were seeing someone and” Hyunwoo rubbed his nape, “I really suck at this stuff.” Kihyun chuckled at that. He wiped his hands in his apron before putting them on his hips, “Well I’m not very good at whatever this is either.” Hyunwoo raised a brow at him before smiling slightly. They shared a look before Kihyun cleared his throat and resumed his preparations. “So you’re opening tomorrow?” Hyunwoo asked casually and Kihyun nodded slightly. “Are you nervous?” Hyunwoo’s voice had become gentle and it made Kihyun pause for a second, “A little but I’m determined.” He flashed Hyunwoo a smile and began packing away things in containers for the small walk-in freezer. 

Hyunwoo watched as Kihyun moved around with a smile still gracing his face. Kihyun paused while wiping his hands off, “Why are you grinning?” His voice had a hint of suspicion to it which made Hyunwoo laugh loudly. “You haven’t thrown me out yet.” His voice was dripping with a teasing tone as he approached Kihyun. Large hands reached out to rest on his waist and he cocked his head to the side while studying the bow red faced male. “To be fair if I’ve thrown you out it was probably justified.” Kihyun responded stubbornly and huffed. Hyunwoo smirked and lowered down so close he was able to brush his lips against Kihyun’s, which made the shorter male gasp. “Does that mean I can throw you over my shoulder and ravage you in my bedroom?” He muttered while keeping his lips close, “I have numerous ways to justify it.” 

Kihyun’s mouth fell open and he stuttered until he swatted Hyunwoo’s chest while turning bright red again, “What! Shut up I have work to do go be responsible!” He babbled out before ducking out of Hyunwoo’s gentle hold. His flustered wandering around made Hyunwoo laugh hard. Kihyun scowled over at him, “Don’t you have work somewhere?” His voice sounded irritated but he had a small smile while aggressively stirring a simmering broth. “Aw but I want to stay.” Hyunwoo said in a whining voice and Kihyun threw a glare over his shoulder. “You’re as bad as Minnie.” He said while clicking his tongue and shaking his head. 

And unbeknownst to them their happiness was close to being tainted as calculating eyes watched the restaurant. Sometimes you have to do bad things to get ahead and that was how he’d justify it. A quick exhale of cigarette smoke and the male strolled back down the sidewalk as if he’d never been there in the first place. Hyunwoo and Kihyun had no idea how close the enemy truly was. They had no idea what game they both fell in while assuming they understood. Someone needed to remind them there was a hierarchy in the end.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW violence, blood mentions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry if this chapter is upsetting

Kihyun’s chest was filled with nerves when they reopened. His friends were cheerful as usual and the restaurant was filled with the normal happy atmosphere. And yet Kihyun couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. He worked tirelessly to keep himself occupied. He had received a brief phone call from Detective Son which also didn’t help his worry. According to the Detective he had noticed strange movement from the bald man’s crew. Nothing too alarming but he warned Kihyun to be aware of his surroundings. He also mentioned they would have to act quickly if something was up. He was still trying to grasp the whole confronting a criminal thing. 

Hyunwoo must have noticed Kihyun acting strange as he had popped in with Hoseok for dinner. Except he had stayed in the kitchen to eat. His stoic expression comforting even if his eyes followed Kihyun around. Did he know something? Kihyun wanted to ask but then Hyunwoo would figure out he was up to something. Luckily Hoseok had fetched the taller male and they had left to help Changkyun out with something. Kihyun could only breathe a small sigh of relief for the time being. Hyunwoo looking at him made him want to spill the beans. To tell someone he was afraid even if he wanted to protect everyone. But he couldn’t. And it ate him up inside. 

When they finally closed for the evening Kihyun felt the exhaustion deep in his bones. Minhyuk cheerfully wiped tables down with Jooheon and teased the poor orange haired male with grin. Hyungwon had popped up during a dinner rush and was now texting on his phone while chewing on his bottom lip. Kihyun knew he was trying to reschedule or work shoots around the restaurant. He felt guilty that the model was stressing about what was going on but he knew Hyungwon was far too stubborn to not be involved. Kihyun sighed and caught Hyungwon’s attention as he did, “Something up Ki?” His husky voice asked quietly and Kihyun shook his head. “Just tired.” He smiled slightly because it really was half true. Hyungwon studied him with a suspicious look but finally nodded. 

It occurred to them the cheerful voices had calmed down a bit as Minhyuk finished cleaning. He looked just as tired as Kihyun felt and the white haired male groaned as he stretched his sore back. Jooheon looked half grumpy with his tired eyes as he looked around. “Alright that’s enough for tonight.” Kihyun said and yawned. Tomorrow was another day. Tomorrow he’d sort it all out. 

—————————————————————

“Did you see him?”

“Yes.”

“How much does he know?”

“Nothing, he’s oblivious.”

“Keep it that way.”

—————————————————————

You know sometimes people can see what’s coming and avoid it but Kihyun wasn’t lucky enough for that. He learned that the hard way a few hours after he’d gone home and went to bed. He was worn out and bid his two best friends goodnight even though they wanted him to stay over. So when hands grabbed him and yanked him from his bed he wondered if the universe was annoyed with him. The hands that grabbed him were harsh and when he thumped against his own floor he figured this was probably it. He didn’t get a chance to shout before something whacked him on the head. That was that. 

By the time he felt his consciousness returning he realized two important things; he wasn’t in his bedroom anymore and his head hurt. The second wasn’t nearly as important as the first. He was lying on a hard ground, concrete probably, and it was damn cold. His eyelids felt like they were made of stone and he almost gave in to the urge to keep them closed. But Kihyun wasn’t Kihyun if he wasn’t stubborn to the very end. As he cracked open his eyes he noticed he was in a warehouse with bright lights set up around him. He would have laughed at the cliche if he didn’t notice the men lurking just outside the lights. They were chatting amongst themselves but quieter down as Kihyun slowly sat up. Their hushed voices and laughs went silent as foot steps began towards them. 

A man spoke cheerfully to someone with him as he stepped in to the light. The bald man. Kihyun swallowed and felt fear tingling along his spine. Another man stood by him in a business suit chatting away as if there wasn’t some random guy sitting on the floor. “Alright Mr. Yun, I’ll have the certificates in the morning.” The business man said to the bald man, at least he had a name, as they shook hands. Kihyun felt nauseous as the business suit man didn’t spare him a glance at all as he left. Humanity was really the worst. “Ah good help is so hard to find.” Mr. Yun said almost too happily which made his surrounding goons chortle. He turned to face Kihyun fully now, “Mr. Yoo I’m pleased to see you again.” 

Kihyun held in a vicious response and stayed silent. “You know when I was your age I felt like I knew everything” Mr. Yun said as he casually approached Kihyun, “It’s not hard to use your wit really but there’s one thing you lack” He squatted down to state in Kihyun’s eyes, “You lack the violence.” The words hung heavy on the air until the man stood still smiling. “I’m curious about something, did you think I wouldn’t know?” He peered down at Kihyun as he seemed to study the shorter male. “The world is corrupt dear boy and I was smart enough to keep the corruption on my side.” He paused a moment as someone came up to whisper in his ear. “The police are in my pocket” He said once the man had left, “I know everything. You thought you’d be a step ahead but you are so far behind.” 

Kihyun felt his jaw tensing as he listened. His body felt cold and he wished this was some weird nightmare. “I don’t-I don’t understand” Kihyun’s voice found itself slowly, “You seem to have...have a lot, why-why do I matter?” Mr. Yun seemed to consider that with a quirk of his brow before laughing softly. “It was never about you. But to kill a snake you should cut off it’s head” He stood calmly in front of Kihyun, “Son Hyunwoo is an intolerably stubborn boy like his father; you could break his legs and he’d find a way.” He looked almost irritated as he spoke as if the thought of Hyunwoo really got on his nerves. “But if you take something, something precious that money won’t replace well...you’ll find people are less stubborn.” His bark of a laugh echoed among his men. Kihyun dug his nails in to the cement under him and wondered about his fate. 

“What are you going to do?” Kihyun’s voice wasn’t strong but he didn’t stumble over his words. The man studied him and sighed almost wistfully, “You know you almost remind me of me” He chuckled again, “If you could just see the light I’d consider letting you join the gang.” He indicated at the men behind him who all seemed to be getting an almost sick pleasure out of the situation. “By light you mean be a criminal?” Kihyun deadpanned and the man didn’t look remotely offended at his words. “Call it what you will but where has righteousness got you? Look around.” He cocked his head to the side and Kihyun frowned deeply. He wished he could just say screw it all and throw away all his morals. But he couldn’t. He could never hurt someone or cheat someone out of their hard earned money. His heart was made of gold even if it wouldn’t save him. 

“Do you really believe that you’ll never face justice?” Kihyun asked it quietly and his voice was calm. He watched the male who seemed to have a fleeting emotion appear in his eyes before he finally shrugged. “Mm maybe I will but for now I’ll enjoy my time at the top.” He said it so carefree it made Kihyun feel even more dreadful. The man had no cares. No worry about what he did or what he would do. He lifted a cellphone up and the audible shutter sound from the camera took up space in the now quiet surroundings. After a few clicks he smiled again, “Ah Hyunwoo will be so pleased seeing you so lively.” He said it with an amused voice and Kihyun felt his skin crawl. Mr. Yun chucked the phone back at the closest man near the lights who surprisingly caught it. “Alright boys make it quick I have a late dinner meeting.” The sudden shift in to business mode wasn’t surprising at the moment as much as the men surrounding Kihyun was. 

Kihyun scrambled up quickly his heart racing hard in his chest. He tried to consider an escape route but the odds weren’t looking favorable. There were men all around and it was hard to see anything beyond the bright lights around him. Fuck. Kihyun’s hands felt clammy as he stumbled backwards. There were a lot of thoughts rushing through his head; all his friends and the things he wanted to do. He even thought of Hyunwoo. An irritating alpha male type who was hiding a pure soul underneath. A soul of someone who just wanted to protect those around him. Even Kihyun. He felt his eyes sting as the men got closer. Would he make it out of this? He wasn’t sure. Who had betrayed him? Was it the Detectives? Was it someone else? He wished he could think but fear clouded everything. The urge to run getting stronger until the dam broke.

Kihyun attempted to turn and run off in a different direction, hell any direction was good, but he didn’t get very far as rough hands grabbed his hair and clothes. His flight instincts foiled so his fight ones kicked in. He kicked and flailed like a bobcat. Trying to kick and fight off the men who seemed amused at his response. As if he were the funniest thing in the world. Finally one of them cuffed him hard on the head making him see stars before strong hands grabbed each of his wrists. “Pity; I’d have liked to play with this one.” A voice to his right said and he was pretty sure a tongue licked his cheek making the men all laugh. Kihyun couldn’t get an outraged noise to even leave his throat as he felt like a Boulder was in it. 

It wasn’t shockingly apparent what happened for a few seconds; maybe it was adrenaline trying to keep him from the moment. But the sharp, burning pain that exploded in his stomach revealed to him their intentions. He gasped and tears spilled down his face. The shocking pain lit up his nerves and he became hyper aware of his body becoming heavy. His knees hit the concrete as his hands automatically placed themselves against a growing wet stain on his shirt. Stain? Kihyun had just washed these there should be no stain! His brain tried and tried but it took seeing the red on his hands to make it all make sense. They’d stabbed him. Kihyun’s voice choked as his body became even heavier. Laying on the ground was almost welcoming as the world became fuzzy. “Get him out of here.” A voice said somewhere. 

The world was muffled to him. His heartbeat raged in his ears in time with the pain. He wanted to see Hyungwon and Minhyuk. He wanted to hug his mom. He didn’t want to be here. He wanted to wake up in his room sweating and freaked out. He wanted to hug Hyunwoo again and tell him that he was a good person even if he did some dumb things. He wanted to grow old and be in love while living in a cute house. He’d have a dog definitely. He wanted to live. His eyes drifted as the tears continued and his heart felt like it was shattering. What he wanted didn’t seem to matter. It was that thought that followed him in to blissful darkness.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who needs friends when you have enemies? Kihyun does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay x~x

What was that sound? Warm hands touched him but the biting cold of the asphalt bothered him. The surroundings blurry and Kihyun felt as if he were a thousand miles away from the conscious world. Voices muffled and way too many lights flashing. He tried to tell them to be quiet, to let him sleep but his throat refused to cooperate. Someone’s face loomed in his vision and he felt his eyes drift close once more. 

Ugh what was that stupid beep sound? Kihyun was pretty sure his alarm was not a beep. What time could it be? His eyelids felt like they weighed as much as a boulder. Why was he so tired? He felt like he’d taken up hardcore gymnastics or something. He finally willed his eyelids to crack open and internally scowled at the bright lights around him. Okay they were pretty normal in intensity but Kihyun suddenly felt like a vampire with an aversion to light. He stared at the ceiling for a second before memories swarmed his head. Pain, lots of pain. He saw blood on his hands. Kihyun’s eyes glanced to the side and he stared at the IV pole by his bed. A quick glance revealed he was definitely not at home. 

He peered down at his blanket covered body with dread in his chest. He was sore and he was tired. Two combinations he loathed. He would have tried to sleep or fall in to a coma but the door to his room opened quietly. A familiar white haired male came in looking like he hasn’t slept in years. Their eyes connected and Minhyuk froze. How long did he stand like that? Kihyun stared at Minhyuk until the male’s brain must have responded and he ran to the bed. “Ki! Ki oh my god” Minhyuk promptly burst in to tears while holding on to Kihyun’s IV free arm, “Ki I thought-I thought you-“ tears continued cascading down Minhyuk’s cheek and Kihyun wanted to wipe them but he was still so tired. “Sit-sit me up.” His throat felt like it had suddenly become a desert but Minhyuk understood. 

Kihyun could only wince as he was finally in a more upright position; it made looking around a whole lot easier. As he looked back at Minhyuk another person appeared in the doorway. The tall, model looking male had wide eyes and he looked almost ready to faint. Hyungwon ran over by Minhyuk with his bottom lip trembling, “Ki.” His voice sounded hoarse which seemed to trigger Minhyuk in to crying again. Kihyun’s eyes glanced back and forth, “Hey.” That was all his brain came up with and he heard Minhyuk laugh in between sobs. Hyungwon grinned at Kihyun with watery eyes, “What do you mean hey? You scared us.” Hyungwon’s voice was teasing but Kihyun sensed it was a lot truer than Hyungwon wanted him to know. 

“I’m sorry” Kihyun winced as he shifted, “How-how long-“ He began asking as Minhyuk must have clicked the nurse call button. “I’ll ask the nurse to give you pain medicine” Minhyuk’s stuffy voice sounded beside him, “You were unconscious for a day I think? We thought you weren’t coming back.” Minhyuk’s voice had become quieter as he spoke and Kihyun frowned. Hell he didn’t think he’d come back either. He tried to smile at his two friends now, “Hey I’m still here okay?” He hoped his voice was soothing and not exhausted but judging by the look Hyungwon gave him he was pretty sure it was the latter. A nurse came in and gave Kihyun a once over before giving him another dose of pain medicine. “Oh I should call the detective.” Hyungwon said absentmindedly while chewing on his bottom lip. 

Detective. Why did the word ring an alarm bell in Kihyun’s head? His brain was still so very fuzzy with flashes of images. Hyungwon had left the room holding a phone to his ear while Minhyuk rubbed a thumb on Kihyun’s hand. “Ki do you remember anything?” Minhyuk asked hesitantly and Kihyun shook his head slightly. “Just bits here and there.” He scowled down at his blanket and hoped the longer he was awake the sooner everything would come back. Minhyuk nodded at Kihyun’s response and Kihyun felt guilty at how exhausted his friend looked. He opened his mouth to tell him to go home when another figure stormed in to the room like a bat out of Hell. 

Minhyuk managed to move over farther as Hyunwoo all but dived on to the bed. His face was a mask of pure anguish and he grabbed Kihyun’s hand so tightly that Kihyun winced. Luckily Hyunwoo realized it and eased his grip. “Kihyun” Hyunwoo’s voice came out just as hoarse as Hyungwon’s had, “Kihyun thank god.” Both hands held Kihyun’s hand now and Hyunwoo rested his forehead on their joined hands. Kihyun took a moment to realize Hyunwoo’s shoulders were trembling. He shared a glance with Minhyuk who very quietly excused himself and shut the door behind him. Kihyun studied Hyunwoo’s shoulders before lifting up his other hand to ghost his fingers over Hyunwoo’s hair. The action made the taller male look up with swollen, red rimmed eyes and a wet face. They looked at one another and Kihyun smiled weakly at him, “It’s okay.” He whispered it even though the door was closed. 

Hyunwoo’s face crumpled again and he laid his forehead down on their hands once more. After a few minutes and deep breaths he looked back up at Kihyun. “Who-who did this?” His voice was deeper from the crying, “I’ll fucking kill them, I swear I’ll rip them apart.” Kihyun could see the fury in Hyunwoo’s eyes and the way he was clenching his jaw. He tightened his grip now on Hyunwoo’s hand, “Hey I’m still here okay?” He said and Hyunwoo looked at him silently. He was startled, only a little, when Hyunwoo stood to lean over and press his lips against Kihyun. The taller male leaned back and dropped his body in to a chair by the bed. His hand reached out once more to take Kihyun’s smaller one. The room fell in to a comfortable but tiring silence as they seemed to be memorizing each other’s faces now. 

“I can’t lose you” Hyunwoo suddenly spoke again, “I can’t. You’ve become so-so important to me and I-“ he paused to breathe in, “And I couldn’t protect you.” He added with a hard frown. He looked like he was collecting himself as Kihyun watched him, “I’m sorry Ki, I’m so sorry I wasn’t there.” His eyes were watering again so Kihyun shook their joined hands. “Hey. This isn’t your fault” He hoped he sounded stern, “You didn’t do this so stop beating yourself up or I’ll hit you with something” Kihyun paused before scowling, “Well I’ll hit you when I feel better.” Hyunwoo’s deep chuckled reached Kihyun’s ears even though the taller male wasn’t smiling. “It’s because you know me.” He laughed again but there was no humor to it. “When you’re discharged stay with me.” Hyunwoo said and Kihyun’s face turned red. 

Luckily a knock sounded on the door and a familiar Detective came in trailed by Hyungwon. Kihyun’s brain was still fuzzy and for some reason seeing Detective Son made him grip Hyunwoo’s hand harder or as hard as he could given his situation. He felt Hyunwoo’s eyes on him and the chair squeaked as he scooted up against the bed so the other two men would have to stand at the end of the bed. Hyungwon’s eyes flicked from Hyunwoo to Kihyun but he stayed quiet. “Oh Kihyun I’m so sorry” Detective Son frowned, “I read the report from the police officer who found you, why were you in that area? It’s dangerous.” Kihyun sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, “I don’t remember.” He said simply. Something about that area. The detective nodded for a moment, “Okay. I’ll let you rest and if you remember anything just call me” He gave Kihyun a warm smile now, “Take it easy.” He bowed to the three men and left quickly. 

“You okay Ki?” Hyungwon asked gently, noticing how exhausted Kihyun’s face was. He nodded, “I’m fine I just need to rest.” His voice was more a mumble than anything and his eyes already fought to close. He felt Hyunwoo’s thumb rubbing his hand again, “I’ll stay.” Hyunwoo said simply and Kihyun was drifting off to sleep now. But he felt safe knowing his friends were nearby. And that Hyunwoo was nearby. 

—————————————————————

During the better part of a week Kihyun finally remembered what happened. Hyunwoo had been sitting beside his bed again just like every day when the memories slammed in to Kihyun like a train. He gasped loudly catching Hyunwoo’s attention, “Ki? Hey Ki what is it?” Hyunwoo spoke quickly and stood. The taller male was startled when Kihyun started sobbing on the hospital bed. His face twisted in anguish and his hands gripped the blanket laying on him. “Hey hey Ki what’s wrong? Are you in pain?!” Hyunwoo quickly grabbed at one of Kihyun’s hands as his other hand attempted to wipe tears off his face, “Please babe talk to me, what is it?!” Hyunwoo’s desperate voice must have caught Kihyun’s attention as he took in a shuddering breath. “I remember every-everything.” He gasped the sentence out before covering his face with his free hand. 

Hyunwoo felt lost as to what to do exactly so he leaned over Kihyun to nuzzle his hair, “I’m here, I’m right here I’ll protect you” He spoke quietly, “I won’t let anyone have you I’ll keep you safe.” He brushed a hand over Kihyun’s cheeks and waited until his shudders had calmed down considerably. “That night-“ Kihyun’s voice wobbled, “I remember the-the knife” He whimpered, “They said they already kne-knew.” Kihyun stopped talking for a minute; eyes staring at the blanket over his lap. Listening to the white noise of the hospital. Hyunwoo was looking at him so confused. “Knew what?” Kihyun’s eyes watered again but he focused on answering the question instead of sobbing once more. “He knew that I was going to record him.” Kihyun spoke softly. His nerves were all over the place as he knew Hyunwoo had been unaware of the earlier plot. 

“Ki what are you talking about?” Hyunwoo’s voice had no emotion in it but Kihyun saw the concern in his eyes when he finally glanced at the taller male. “I was going to meet him” He picked at the blanket with his nails, “And record him secretly.” He waited as he could see Hyunwoo’s body become tense. “You were going to record him? Alone?” Hyunwoo sounded upset but his face was remaining as stoic as possible. “Yes.” Kihyun replied and continued to watch the taller male. It was silent for awhile while Hyunwoo was trying to digest the information. Kihyun felt the warm body move away from him, “I need a moment.” Hyunwoo sounded weary and rubbed at his face. Kihyun nodded even though Hyunwoo didn’t see it and watched as the taller male left the room quietly. It was silent once more. 

Kihyun’s lip trembled and he jumped when the door opened again two minutes later. Hyunwoo walked swiftly to the bed and grabbed Kihyun’s jaw softly with both hands, “Please don’t do this alone” He murmured, “Don’t keep me out.” Kihyun felt warm tears run down his cheeks and he nodded. Hyunwoo’s lips brushed against Kihyun’s forehead and he resumed his seat by the hospital bed. The room was silent once more but it was a reassuring silence this time. 

—————————————————————

After about a week or so Kihyun was allowed to be discharged as long as he had someone to stay with. According to the doctor the wound was pretty bad but not life threatening. Hyungwon’s morbid ass said it was probably just a reminder. Minhyuk kicked him in the shin for that one. Kihyun was forced to come clean to his friends about his very dumb plan with the detectives. He also mentioned how the man had known about that plan. After that even they seemed wary when Detective Son came by. Kihyun acted weak and fearful so he could continue to say he barely remembered much. The trauma must have messed with his head was what Minhyuk told the detective 

And it was now the middle of the day as Kihyun carefully pulled sweatpants on that matched his pull over sweater. He was listening to the arguing going on between his two best friends and Hyunwoo. “He’ll be perfectly safe with us!” Minhyuk said with a huff. Hyunwoo scowled at him, “You couldn’t hurt a fly.” He pointed out and Minhyuk looked like he was considering hurting Hyunwoo. Hyungwon sighed loudly as Hoseok rubbed his back reassuringly, “And why should we trust Kihyun with you anyways?” Hyungwon gave Hyunwoo a fierce stare down as Minhyuk nodded beside him. “He’s the most important person to me” Hyunwoo said calmly, “I’ll die first before he’s harmed.” 

Kihyun rubbed at his temples and looked at his friends, “Hey! Shut up already” He slipped on some sneakers carefully while talking, “I’ll stay with Hyunwoo.” Kihyun saw Minhyuk getting ready to argue so he glared at him. When he noticed Hyunwoo looking smug he swatted him hard, “Don’t act cocky, I just want them safe.” He huffed and the loud snicker from Hoseok made his lips twitch. “Are you sure Ki?” Hyungwon’s husky voice had Kihyun looking over at him with a softer look. “I’ll be okay Hyungwonnie I promise.” The taller male chewed on his bottom lip but nodded and when Minhyuk opened his mouth he put his hand over it. Hyunwoo gathered up a few things they had brought from home to male Kihyun comfortable, “I already picked up your medicines.” He said quietly to Kihyun who raised a brow but nodded. 

Parting ways with his friends made his chest hurt but he knew they’d be okay. They weren’t the ones being attacked or watched. Minhyuk promised to only do lunch rushes for now while Kihyun was unable too. His loud friend knew Kihyun’s recipes and whatever he didn’t know he said he’d ask. Hyungwon had cancelled a few shoots to help out in the restaurant and Jooheon reassured Kihyun he’d keep them out of trouble. Not very reassuring but Kihyun has little options at the time. 

The ride to Hyunwoo’s apartment seemed quicker this time but it could also be how tired Kihyun was. When Hyunwoo let him in to the apartment Kihyun immediately sat on the large couch. Sinking happily in to the cushions he heard Hyunwoo leave the room for a moment. Kihyun opened his eyes and peered around. Even with a wound that was healing nicely he still felt nervous. His hands brushed over the soft fabric of his sweater and he felt relieved when Hyunwoo came back in to the room. “Minhyuk is packing you a bag of your things. He said he’ll drop it off in the morning so you can rest.” Kihyun nodded slowly at the words. “Are you hungry?” Hyunwoo asked as he knelt in front of Kihyun with a worried look on his face. 

“No just tired.” Kihyun replied and was amused with how quickly Hyunwoo stood up. “Let’s go to bed.” He said down to Kihyun as he carefully pulled him to his feet. “We? You don’t have to sleep just because I want too.” Kihyun rolled his eyes but obediently followed Hyunwoo’s lead as they walked down the hallway in his apartment. “I want to hold you” Hyunwoo said over his shoulder as he pulled Kihyun in to his room, “I’d tie myself to you but I’m afraid you’ll hit me.” He grinned at Kihyun who gave him a deadpanned look before simply crawling on top of the large bed. It smelt like Hyunwoo. Why was that so comforting? Kihyun grumbled in to the nearest pillow and felt his eyes close as soon as a blanket was pulled over him. A moment later the lights clicked off and the bed dipped beside him as Hyunwoo climbed in. 

The larger male moved gently to ease an arm around Kihyun. He snuggled Kihyun’s hair and sighed quietly. “I’m glad you’re here.” Hyunwoo murmured in to the darkness. Kihyun felt a smile grace his face as he shifted his body a little closer. The warmth and Hyunwoo’s arm made Kihyun feel protected. He wondered when he had become so vulnerable and needing another person but he was too tired to dig too deep. As his mind began drifting Kihyun replied, “Me too.” And then he let slumber take him away.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to stop being a victim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ll probably end this fic soon 🤔

Kihyun was so comfortable. He was warm and he was- oh he was hungry. He opened his eyes and tried to stretch but winced. Okay definitely need to take it easy. He peered around himself and wondered what time it was. Pushing himself to sit up he noticed the spot beside him empty. Now where had Hyunwoo gone? And where was his phone? Kihyun sighed at the thought of leaving bed but still crawled out anyways. He needed to get back to his old self. Running a hand through his messy black hair he quietly walked down the hall. About halfway he realized he smelt food. 

“Hyunwoo?” He called out softly and was pretty sure the man dropped something momentarily. A messy haired male peered out of the kitchen at him then smiled happily, “Oh you’re awake!” Hyunwoo seemed chipper this morning and it was endearing but also annoying while Kihyun was without coffee. Kihyun strolled in to the kitchen as Hyunwoo handed him a cup of coffee with a soft grin. “Thank you.” Kihyun muttered as he sat down. Hyunwoo placed a surprisingly full plate in front of him that Kihyun blinked at. Hyunwoo was studying him with a soft look when a phone ringing broke the morning silence. He looked sheepishly at Kihyun before excluding himself. 

It only took a moment before Hyunwoo came back quickly. “I need to run an errand real quick but I promise I’ll be right back.” He had to decency to look uncomfortable but Kihyun simply raised an eyebrow. “Really? An errand? I want to go.” Kihyun held back the urge to lecture Hyunwoo as he highly doubted the man was going grocery shopping or something. “Ki you can’t, you need rest!” Hyunwoo rubbed at the back of his neck and gave Kihyun a placating look. “I can’t just sit around Hyunwoo and I didn’t say I plan on getting in to fights.” The shorter male rolled his eyes before standing up smoothly. “I’ll just take a quick shower.” He smiled happily at Hyunwoo who looked torn between saying no and letting him do whatever he wanted. 

Showering while still wounded was a bit of a struggle but Kihyun managed to figure it out. As he stood wrapped with a towel it occurred to him he didn’t have any clothes. “Hyunwoo!” Kihyun opened the door and called out. The loud thumping of feet startled him as Hyunwoo burst in to the bathroom, “What! What happened!” Kihyun blinked owlishly at him before cackling. “Nothing! Oh my god did you run across the apartment?” At the look Hyunwoo gave him he laughed harder. A moment later the taller man scowled at him, “I thought you hurt yourself or something.” His grumpy look had Kihyun still snickering but he crossed the bathroom to place a hand on Hyunwoo’s bicep. The taller male went from grumpy to soft once more and a hand brushed Kihyun’s jaw. “Hyunwoo? I need to borrow some clothes.” 

—————————————————————

Kihyun managed to nag Hyunwoo in to letting him accompany him. Hyunwoo seemed apprehensive about it but Kihyun was stubborn. And maybe he didn’t want to be alone just yet but he wasn’t saying anything. Hyunwoo had loaned him a large shirt and basketball shorts that Kihyun managed to tighten. His black hair hung over his forehead and he was confident he looked like a young kid. He had to contain a scowl at Hyunwoo’s fitted shirt and slim jeans. His hair was swept off his forehead and quite frankly he looked fantastic. Kihyun felt like a hobo. 

They sat in Hyunwoo’s car as the male expertly navigated the streets. Kihyun’s phone had been in Hyunwoo’s safe keeping and now that he had it again he quickly texted his friends. He made sure Minhyuk knew they had gone out so he wouldn’t drop by with things just yet. He could already feel the nagging texts pouring in. “So where are we going?” Kihyun finally asked and he saw Hyunwoo flinch just slightly. “I need to get some information from a guy I know.” He replied calmly and ignored the narrowed eyes Kihyun suddenly had. “A safe guy?” He asked suspiciously and Hyunwoo chuckled. “Of course. I’d never take you somewhere dangerous.” Hyunwoo smiled over at Kihyun who felt a blush creep over his cheeks. “Oh? What about that bar you took us too?” Kihyun said with a fake huff as Hyunwoo coughed. 

“I didn’t know Hoseokkie liked your friend Hyungwon that much.” Hyunwoo muttered and pretended to focus hard on the road. “I think they’re inseparable at this point.” Kihyun muttered but he felt a smile tug at his lips. He sat quietly as Hyunwoo went down a street that Kihyun was sure he’d never been on. There wasn’t a lot of people moving about and Hyunwoo parked by the curb quickly. Why did Kihyun feel nervous? I mean technically he’d ask to come. He hopped out of the car and followed closely behind Hyunwoo who made his way in to a small shop but bypassed everything to go in to the back. Once there Kihyun noticed two men sitting at a table; one looked like a grandfather and the other about his dad’s age. Hyunwoo bowed his head in greeting and gestures for Kihyun to sit down. 

“Whose this?” The middle aged man asked as he eyed Kihyun. Hyunwoo sat down beside the shorter male and grinned, “He’s with me.” Was all Hyunwoo said and the male grunted in acknowledgement. The elderly looking male smiled once at Kihyun before looking at Hyunwoo, “Figured you’d have got out of the game by now” He spoke calmly, “But I did find the information you wanted.” Hyunwoo nodded at the man. “I will. As soon as I finish.” He replied just as calmly and the old man grinned at him. “You seen much more tame now eh?” The middle age man said causing them both to laugh while Hyunwoo flushed red. Kihyun glanced at Hyunwoo and tried to keep a blank face. He failed miserably. 

“So about that information.” Hyunwoo said quickly and was obviously trying to not look at Kihyun. “Yes well word is the snitch you’re looking for works in homicide.” The middle age man spoke quietly as the elderly one nodded. Kihyun blinked and looked at Hyunwoo who was tense. Homicide? Wait a homicide Detective? Kihyun had a nagging suspicion that Hyunwoo’s uncle worked in homicide. The taller, stoic man finally just hummed as if he was avoiding speaking. Kihyun wanted to comfort him but honestly he had no idea how. Hyunwoo produced a small envelope and handed it to the men before standing. Kihyun quickly stood too and mirrored the bow Hyunwoo gave them. 

It was silent as they exited the small shop. The street still pretty bare just as when they arrived. Kihyun was trying to think of a good comfort tactic when a hand grabbing his made him stop. He turned and glanced at Hyunwoo with questioning look before being pulled in a tight hug. Kihyun froze for a moment before suddenly wrapping his arms around Hyunwoo’s waist. He felt Hyunwoo’s lips brush his head but the taller male didn’t speak. Kihyun knew he probably felt a lot of things; things he’d struggle to explain. Guilt most likely. But Kihyun never really blamed him anymore, sure maybe in the beginning but not now. He sighed quietly and pressed his face against Hyunwoo’s chest. The universe let them breathe. 

—————————————————————

The two men met the rest of their friends back at Hyunwoo’s apartment. They shared the disturbing news and now they all sat around looking defeated. Kihyun felt miserable physically and emotionally. Hyunwoo had looked tense the entire time even after they had embraced. He felt at a loss; the situation so complicated he didn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. Jooheon was sitting gloomily by Minhyuk while they shared a bag of chips. Minhyuk looked pensive but had kept his thoughts surprisingly to himself. Hyungwon was leaning against the couch as he had a tendency to pace when upset. Hoseok looked nervous and glanced around at the others before finally clearing his throat. 

“Maybe...maybe you three should take a vacation? Somewhere safe.” He tried to explain while flailing his hands and Hyungwon looked at him as if he was contemplating violence. “What like run away? Leave everything?” The tall model said in irritation and Hoseok winced. Hyunwoo watched them but said nothing still and Kihyun sighed finally. He stood up and excused himself to go in to the kitchen. His friends continued their low conversation and Kihyun suddenly felt grateful for the silence in the kitchen. He heard a shuffling sound before Hyunwoo appeared in front of him. 

“Are you okay?” He asked quietly and Kihyun nodded. Hyunwoo stepped up close to him to brush a hand down his cheek. Kihyun smiled softly at him before frowning and looking at the floor. “Everyone...” Kihyun began quietly speaking, “Everyone is struggling because of me.” As he spoke he felt his eyes burn so he squeezed them shut. “Ki don’t say that” Hyunwoo said immediately, “It’s not your fault! And we care about you we want to help you during your struggles.” Hyunwoo’s larger hands reached up to brush over Kihyun’s jaw before he carefully leaned down to connect their lips. Kihyun sighed again but this time in relief as he pressed back on Hyunwoo’s lips. A strong hand brushed over Kihyun’s neck and he found himself leaning in to Hyunwoo. It was warm and comfortable. Kihyun’s fingers grabbed on to Hyunwoo’s shirt tightly. 

After a few minutes they parted and looked at one another. Hyunwoo’s eyes were soft and he smiled gently down at Kihyun. “I have an idea.” Kihyun blurted out abruptly which made Hyunwoo laugh loudly, “That’s the spirit.” He said down to Kihyun who huffed at him. 

They joined their friends again in the living room. Kihyun tugged anxiously are the end of his sweater and finally peered around. “Alright obviously we can’t trust the police” Kihyun began, “But I refuse to believe they’re all bad. So let’s put the Detective to the test.” The others glanced at each other knowing that Kihyun meant Hyunwoo’s uncle. “If it’s really him we’ll know to stay away or lead him in circles” Kihyun started speaking after a pause, “And if we get proof he’s corrupt we could use it.” Hyunwoo stayed silent during the whole thing and simply looked at his feet. “We need to trap him, keep information away from him like a meeting place and if he shows up well...” 

The others were either nodding or looking worried. “I could...hack video feeds.” Jooheon finally spoke up and Kihyun pretended to not see how Minhyuk grabbed his hand tightly. Kihyun smiled brightly at the younger male who immediately blushed. “And this time you won’t be alone.” Hyunwoo spoke up. Kihyun scowled at him and was about to argue when he realized everyone was staring hard at him. “Fine.” He huffed and felt a gentle nudge from Hyunwoo. “So do you have a plan to test him?” Hoseok asked and Hyungwon nodded while watching Kihyun. He chewed on his bottom lip for a moment and glanced off somewhere else. “Yeah but you won’t like it.” He finally spoke and the room fell completely silent. 

“We’re going to use live bait.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can we solve this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you write cliff hangers clap your hands 👏🏻

After an insane amount of arguing and discussing ideas Hyunwoo’s apartment was finally quiet. It was the evening now and Kihyun was sitting in Hyunwoo’s bed. He’d already taken his medicine and was trying to get his brain to relax. It wasn’t working. Hyunwoo was off showering so when Kihyun heard the bathroom door open he felt a weird sense of comfort. Jeez what was wrong with him! Kihyun muttered something under his breath. He never needed anyone around to feel safe. I mean Minhyuk and Hyungwon were always around anyways. Why did Hyunwoo just immediately fill up that spot? 

Kihyun leaned against the headboard contemplating when Hyunwoo strolled in. Wearing nothing but underwear. Kihyun blinked at his naked chest before glancing at Hyunwoo’s face. The taller male was rubbing a towel on his head and studying him. “Are you okay?” Hyunwoo asked before chucking the towel on to a laundry basket. Kihyun nodded mutely as the taller male crawled on to the bed. Deep down inside Kihyun cursed his wound. Hyunwoo leaned on the headboard beside him and grabbed one of his hands. It was a soothing silence as they sat there, Hyunwoo’s thumb rubbing over Kihyun’s hand. “What about you?” 

Kihyun finally spoke up and Hyunwoo remained silent for a moment. “I’m worried. About you and everyone else.” Hyunwoo chewed on his bottom lip in thought as he spoke. Kihyun nodded and after a second brought a hand up to brush through Hyunwoo’s damp hair. The taller male glanced at him which gave him the perfect opportunity to press his lips against Hyunwoo’s plush ones. A hand rested on the back of his neck pulling him closer against Hyunwoo’s warm body. They stayed like that for a minute before Hyunwoo leaned back from Kihyun, “You know I’ll keep you safe, right?” His gentle eyes peered at Kihyun and it made the shorter male smile. “Yes and I’ll keep you safe.” He grinned at Hyunwoo who playfully rolled his eyes. 

“You sure about this?” Hyunwoo asked quietly and Kihyun nodded. “We’ll never get anywhere if we can’t find whose spying on us, I just want this to be over with.” Kihyun spoke with a tired voice as he scooted down to lay on the bed. Hyunwoo followed after him and held him snug to his chest. “I know Ki we’ll end this.” Hyunwoo muttered to the shorter male who was drifting off. He kissed Kihyun’s cheek and hugged him tighter. Stomach in turmoil over their new plans. 

—————————————————————

Hyunwoo sat in front of a familiar pair of men. The elderly gentleman stared at him as if he were nuts and the middle aged man just rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “Are you sure you want to do that?” The elderly man asked in a concerned tone and Hyunwoo smiled. “It’s the only plan we have.” He replied simply and shrugged. The middle aged man laughed softly while shaking his head, “You definitely took after your dad.” Hyunwoo glanced at the tabletop but smiled. His dad had always fought for everyone else. Hyunwoo would be no different. Except this time he wanted to live a life with Kihyun. He wanted to go on dates and live together. Hell he’d marry him if it was legal. The feisty male had grabbed hold of Hyunwoo’s heart with his courage and he wasn’t complaining a bit. 

“Well I’ll spread the word but I fear this may not end well.” The middle age man said and Hyunwoo bowed his head at the two. “Thank you.” It was simple really. A rumor or a bit of information was surprisingly passed around easily if told to the right people. If they wanted to find the mole they’d need the mole to come to them. Hyunwoo’s chest hurt at the thought that his uncle was involved but he kept an open mind. Once he took care of the mole he’d take care of Mr. Yun too. His hands clenched in to fists at the thought of punching the horrible man right in the nose. For once violence was going to be a vacation. 

—————————————————————

“Alright now I’ve accessed cameras on the street and in the building” Jooheon spoke quietly to Kihyun and Hyunwoo, “There’s no way I’ll miss anything and I’m already recording.” A hand was holding Jooheon’s and it squeezed it for a moment as Minhyuk looked at the orange haired male. Kihyun wished he could tease Minhyuk about how sappy he was lately but now wasn’t the time. “Hoseokkie is nearby and Hyungwon is waiting in the getaway vehicle.” Hyunwoo turned to Kihyun and spoke. The shorter male looked at Hyunwoo and offered a tentative smile. “Minhyuk and I will be on the roof across the street.” Jooheon indicated with his thumb and with that disappeared out a door with Minhyuk. 

“Do you think this will work?”

Kihyun spoke as soon as they were alone. Hyunwoo looked at him with a serious expression, “I’m not sure” He replied, “Just stay behind me and if anything happens, run.” Kihyun blinked at him and then narrowed his eyes. “I’m not going to just leave you behind.” The shorter male huffed and Hyunwoo smiled at him. He leaned over and kissed Kihyun on the lips before speaking, “It’ll be hard to keep you safe and beat everyone up.” He grinned at the offended noise Kihyun made before raising a hand to his lips. They both heard what sounded like a low engine outside. Kihyun swallowed hard and tried to stand casually while looking at Hyunwoo. The taller male went from sweet to stoic in the blink of an eye. 

Hyunwoo had fed the grape vine. According to him he was going to meet with some hired hands to assist Kihyun in getting revenge. Obviously Mr. Yun would find out somehow and Hyunwoo had bet money that whoever was spying on them would know as well. He wasn’t sure how loyal the spy was but considering Kihyun had been stabbed he’d bet the person had already snitched. The problem was there were no hired hands. They wanted to catch the mole and record him while doing it. It’s safe to say Jooheon did his part with rigging recording equipment up for them. Now they just had to get a confession and hopefully get out of there unscathed. 

Hyunwoo’s hands flexed as a faraway door opened. He gave Kihyun a nod and turned slightly as if they were having a conversation now interrupted. He could see someone walking towards them in the small storage warehouse they chose. Kihyun shifted uncomfortably as adrenaline pounded through his chest. The person walked closer and paused as if they were thinking. “Who are you?” Hyunwoo suddenly called out and Kihyun somehow suppressed the urge to jump at his voice. He heard a chuckle before the person continued walking to them and stepped fully in to the light. 

Kihyun muffled a gasp with his hand and he saw Hyunwoo’s eyes narrow. “Does he know you betrayed him?” Hyunwoo’s icy voice spoke and Kihyun felt fear in his veins again. “Of course not.” The light hit the male’s face revealing not Hyunwoo’s Uncle but his partner. Kihyun saw a muscle tick in Hyunwoo’s jaw now. “Why?” Hyunwoo spoke again and Kihyun looked back at the Detective. “Because I’m tired of losing” The man suddenly spit out, “I tried it the righteous way and all it got me was the death of my brother.” He had gone from quiet to vicious looking in the blink of an eye. “Your damn uncle never wants to see reason, we could accomplish so much more if we just bend the rules.” Hyunwoo dragged a hand down his face as he eyed the man. “But why hurt Kihyun?” Hyunwoo suddenly asked and the man looked at Kihyun as if he was a speck on a wall. Nothing of interest. 

“It was unfortunate but it cemented my place; give him your weakness and prove my loyalty.” The male said it so casually that Kihyun felt his own jaw clench. “You see all he wants is you, Hyunwoo, you out of his way” The male spoke again, “And with Kihyun hurt I thought you’d give in but you are so damn stubborn it’s infuriating.” The Detective’s partner scowled, “You ruined my plan! You were supposed to lose but you refuse and all because of him.” His index finger pointed at Kihyun who blinked at him. “I love him” Hyunwoo said immediately, “I’ll never give up because I love him.” Kihyun felt a euphoria swirl through his chest followed by anxiety. Now was not the time for a love confession but he found himself staring at Hyunwoo with wide eyes. “Love gets you nowhere, you fool.” The male said and Kihyun could see the man trembling. Probably from rage.

In a blink he had pulled out a gun and pointed it at Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo didn’t flinch. He simply watched. “I’ll have to get rid of you myself and then I’ll have the power to do what needs done” The angry man hissed, “Sometimes you have to get your hands dirty right?” Hyunwoo still didn’t reply. “Don’t!” Kihyun spoke up finally as the lump in his throat gave way to fear and a protective urge. “Please don’t do it!” He scooted his shorter body in front of Hyunwoo with a pleading look. “Ki.” Hyunwoo’s soft voice spoke behind him but Kihyun shook his head. “No! I won’t let you get hurt, you can’t die! Not because of me!” He spread his arms and glared at the man with a gun. Eyes burning with tears he willed to stay in. The male’s jaw clenched in irritation, “I guess I’ll have to get rid of you both.” He finally responded. 

Kihyun felt his eyes widen at the man’s statement; there was no emotion on his voice. He spoke as if he were talking about the weather or how his weekend went. Kihyun’s throat clogged again and his body became a statue even as someone grabbed his arm hard. He was yanked backwards before a large body loomed over his and crushed him to a chest. “Let go! Hyunwoo don’t please!” He tried to push Hyunwoo away from him as a the taller male held him close in an iron grip. Larger body blocking Kihyun’s. “Please!” Kihyun felt the wetness on his cheeks as Hyunwoo spoke quietly down to him, “It’s alright Ki, it’ll be okay I promise.” Kihyun kept trying to shove at Hyunwoo when a gunshot rang out. Kihyun’s heart stuttered and his brain couldn’t focus on any single thought. The world was muffled. He felt a sob build up in his chest. He couldn’t lose Hyunwoo. He couldn’t. This was all his fault.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So many revelations.

Could your life flash before your eyes if you weren’t the one dying? Better yet could the future you wished for do it because that’s what was happening. Kihyun thought of all the things he’d yet to experience with Hyunwoo. Cute dates and strolling through the park together. He wanted to go to the beach with him and write their names in the sand like some corny romance movie. He wanted all those things so why was the universe trying to deprive him? The world felt like it had stopped and Kihyun’s fingers dug in to Hyunwoo’s shirt as if he could will all the bad stuff away. His face was drenched with his own tears and he begged the universe to go easy on him for once. 

“Ki.” A soothing voice spoke. But Kihyun shook his head with his eyes squeezed closed. If he didn’t look, if he didn’t acknowledge it it didn’t happen. Even if that wasn’t how it worked. His hands gripped the fabric of Hyunwoo’s shirt so hard that his fingers ached. “Ki it’s okay.” The voice spoke again. How completely laughable and cruel. “It’s no-not okay!” Kihyun stumbled the words out even if his throat felt constricted. “Ki look at me?” The voice was starting to sound familiar. It took all of Kihyun’s willpower to ease back away from Hyunwoo’s chest. The taller male looked down at him with a soft, loving smile. A thumb rubbed tears off of Kihyun’s cheek. Was he hallucinating? Did he die too? Well at least his afterlife had Hyunwoo. 

“Hyunwoo!” A voice called out and the tall male glanced over his shoulder. Hey wait why was there other people in his afterlife? Couldn’t he just be alone with Hyunwoo? The sounds of the world around him roared back to life. He heard arguing and someone groaning in pain. Kihyun felt like his mind was going to explode with all the information to his senses. He released Hyunwoo’s shirt and stepped back far enough to look him over. Didn’t you bleed when you got shot? Kihyun had bled but it was from a knife. He ran his hands over Hyunwoo hurriedly trying to figure out where the wound was. “Ki I’m fine.” Hyunwoo’s voice said gently and Kihyun stared at him. “You-you’re not-not hurt?” He whispered and Hyunwoo shook his head. Kihyun almost knocked the taller male over as he threw himself at him. 

His loud but happy crying filled the space as he squeezed Hyunwoo’s waist tightly. Face shoved in to the taller male’s shirt as large hands caressed over his back and head. Kihyun breathed in a shuddering breath and relaxed his grip. “How?” He muttered and Hyunwoo easily turned them enough to peer behind him. It took Kihyun another moment to digest the information that he was seeing. The detective was laying on the ground holding a bloody shoulder, his gun nowhere to be seen. A red faced, panting familiar male stood by him while bolstering his weapon. Detective Son! Hoseok appeared a second later to stand by Hyunwoo and grin at his friend. 

“You okay?” Hyunwoo’s uncle called out and Hyunwoo nodded at him. Kihyun had wiggles himself free of Hyunwoo’s grasp and pointed at each male. “What? How?” Did he look as confused as he sounded? Probably. Hyunwoo’s uncle knelt by his partner who was groaning and cursing under his breath with a muscle ticking in his jaw. “I had my doubts early on I’ll admit” Detective Son began speaking, “I had no proof even after Kihyun was hurt so I couldn’t say anything. But tonight he was acting fidgety as he left” The older Detective peered at the wounded shoulder now, “Probably thought I was an oblivious old man, but I tracked him. We’re able to do that within reason. I followed him here as his apartment is in the opposite direction” The sad sigh reached all their ears, “I hoped I was wrong.” 

The detective looked weary after he spoke. Showing his age in the sadness marring his usual pleasant features. Kihyun felt a sadness in his chest at the sight. Obviously Detective Son felt fond of his partner so he couldn’t imagine how torn up he was about everything. “But I’m glad I got here in time” Detective Son said after a brief silence, “Please tell me someone recorded this.” The Detective scrubbed a hand down his face as he spoke. “Duh!” A voice spoke up as Jooheon came running in with Minhyuk on his heels. “Every word and every move.” Jooheon looked proud as he spoke and Minhyuk looked at him affectionately. Kihyun felt a hand gently squeeze his shoulder and he glanced back at Hyunwoo. The relief he felt was so strong he wanted to cry all over again. He’d save that for later. 

“We have to make our move tonight.” Hyunwoo spoke loudly enough to get everyone’s attention. Hoseok and Detective Son were squatted down by the wounded male. Hoseok eyed him warily while Hyunwoo’s uncle pressed a handkerchief against his wound. Hyungwon had appeared flustered and slightly freaked out by the blood but he hugged his two friends tightly. “Why tonight?” Jooheon asked nervously. “Once we turn him in with the evidence it’ll be obvious we know everything” Hyunwoo pointed at the wounded man, “Yun won’t just let it go.” He finished with a serious voice. Kihyun chewed hard on his bottom lip while glancing at his friends. This was so dangerous. “You’re right, we have to end this tonight.” Kihyun finally spoke even though fear climbed up his spine.

—————————————————————

With Detective Son’s partner currently receiving first aid while being guarded by Hyunwoo’s uncle that left the rest to sort this out. They knew where Yun was at or would at least hang out at. Kihyun stood outside the warehouse that they had used while rubbing at his arms. Hyungwon had drove up with Hoseok’s SUV and they were all standing around the back of it. Jooheon had a laptop open and a few other things Kihyun couldn’t begin to name as he leaned against the SUV with a focused look. Minhyuk hugged against Jooheon’s back to keep him blocked from the cold. 

Kihyun had been zoning out for a moment when he realized Hyunwoo and Hoseok were at the other side of the vehicle with a door to the backseat open. A curious nagging in his head he peered around the side of the car and his eyes went round. Hyunwoo was holding a pistol and checking the rounds while Hoseok was messing with something bigger. “Hyunwoo!” Kihyun scolded loudly causing both men to jump at the sudden sound. Hyunwoo realized who it was and frowned, “Do you want to get shot because that’s how you get shot.” His voice was sarcastic as he put the safety on and regarded Kihyun silently. “Why do you have all those weapons?” Kihyun hissed as he approached the two men. Hyungwon also peered around with a raised brow but stayed quiet. 

“You never bring a knife to a gun fight.” Hoseok responded instead but he sent Kihyun a friendly smile as he spoke. Kihyun noticed Hyungwon rolling his eyes while scowling at his muscular boyfriend. “Do you plan on getting in to a gun fight?” Kihyun asked with a worried sound to his voice. Hyunwoo rubbed at his nape while looking at Kihyun, “I don’t want to but I also don’t think they’ll just surrender even with all the evidence piling up.” Ugh damn Kihyun hated how obvious that sounded. He knew his face was giving him away as Hyunwoo brushed a thumb along his jaw, “I’ll keep you safe.” He murmured and Kihyun reminded himself to not cry like an idiot. “Okay I’ve made extra copies of everything we have so far” Jooheon spoke up while leaning back against Minhyuk, “Once we’re close enough I’ll see if I can get in to a few camera feeds.” 

The plan was both simple and complicated. Jooheon was going to try to record it from every angle while keeping a lookout. Hyunwoo had pictures of the ex-Detective and was going to use them against Yun. If he could get him to admit to hurting Kihyun and threatening him they could at least get him arrested. Everything else would be up to the police. Which wasn’t very reassuring but they could only do so much. Kihyun fidgeted with his hands as they cruised quietly through backstreets. Minhyuk was talking to Jooheon quietly and Hyungwon appeared to be lost in thought. Periodically Hyunwoo would glance in the rear view mirror at Kihyun. “After this let’s all take a vacation.” Hoseok suddenly spoke up and Kihyun chuckled softly. They all definitely needed a vacation. 

The SUV came to a stop on a barren street. Alleys on both sides and buildings that looked a little ragged. The car was silent. Minutes seemed to tick by. “Okay Hoseok will do a perimeter check and get in through whatever opening he can” Hyunwoo spoke quietly to the other occupants, “I’m going in the front door with the evidence that Jooheon copies. Jooheon go find a place to hide and get me some cameras okay?” Hyunwoo spoke to the two males as they nodded obediently. “Uh what about me?” Kihyun spoke up and Hyunwoo stared at him hard. “You three are staying here.” He pointed around the interior of the SUV. “I’m going with Honey.” Minhyuk said cheerily and hopped out of the car behind Jooheon. Hoseok was holding Hyungwon’s hand and the tall male finally sighed loudly, “Alright I’ll keep the car running.” He muttered something rude but Hoseok just smiled affectionately at him. 

The silent battle of wills between Kihyun and Hyunwoo raged on until Kihyun simply hopped out of the car. “Listen you stubborn bear, I’m not letting you go alone even if Hoseok is scoping the place out.” Kihyun crossed his arms and glared at Hyunwoo. “But Ki-“ He began in a pleading voice before Kihyun stuck a hand up to silence him. “No buts. I can’t let you go alone. Not after almost....” His words died off and he looked away for a moment. “Here.” Hyunwoo’s voice suddenly spoke up and a large switch blade was pressed in to Kihyun’s hand. He stared down at it wide eyed, “What’s this for?!” He hissed in fear and Hyunwoo gave him a half smile. “Didn’t think you’d want a gun. If something happens use it.” He responded as if he was explaining how to ride a bike. Kihyun gulped loudly and felt Hoseok pat him before the muscular male slipped away in to the shadows. 

Kihyun and Hyunwoo shared a look. Hyunwoo’s uncle knew Yun would come this way to check on his loan sharks. Probably making sure all their money added up and they weren’t stealing from him. It didn’t remotely surprise Kihyun that he’d have people who went after desperate families with those impossible loans. “Are you sure about this?” Hyunwoo asked Kihyun quietly. He swallowed audibly and sent the taller man a shaky smile, “Yes, let’s do it.” Hyunwoo looked troubled but stepped forward to brush his lips over Kihyun’s. “Let’s go.” His face went deadly serious and he turned on his heel to head for what looked like a small office building on it’s last leg. Kihyun felt a cold sweat starting and his stomach tumbled angrily. It was now or never. Either the nightmare would end or a new one would begin.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Showdown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the epilogue. What a fun run this has been :)

You know going to confront the enemy is a lot less scary when you’re watching it in a movie. Kihyun felt a cold sweat starting as he walked with Hyunwoo. At some point the taller male had put on a face mask to cover the lower half of his face. He had brushed a hand across Kihyun’s cheek as if trying to give him strength right as they approached the door to the small building. The element of surprise was necessary in this case. They obviously didn’t have nearly as many people on their team as Yun would have. The building would be crawling with unsavory individuals if they knew they were coming. 

But luckily they did not.

Hyunwoo gave him one last nod before Kihyun knocked on the door. There was the sound of voices as someone came closer to crack the door open, “The hell do you want-“ He was interrupted by Hyunwoo slamming his shoulder hard to the door to throw the man away from it. There was scrambling noises as Hyunwoo strolled in like he owned the place. The terrified man looked up from the floor while holding a bleeding nose. Kihyun froze but managed to overcome his fear to walk in behind the taller male. There were more voices as another man appeared scowling followed by the very familiar Mr. Yun. Their eyes locked and Kihyun had to remind himself to not flinch. It was hard staring in the face of someone who had zero care for human life. 

“Well what do we have here.” Mr. Yun’s voice made Kihyun shiver in distaste. He heard a gun cocking beside him as Hyunwoo watched the two minions of Yun. Kihyun jumped and reminded himself that the fierce looking male was on his side. “Yes it’s me.” Kihyun replied with hopefully a confident voice. “It’s over, all your terrorizing” Kihyun spoke and felt anger racing through him, “You’re not pushing me around anymore nor anyone else.” Kihyun crossed his arms now even if he was the opposite of intimidating compared to everyone else in the room. The unsettling chuckle from the bald man had Kihyun’s eyes narrowing. “And what makes you think you’ve won?” He replied with a smirk. Hyunwoo shifted slightly by Kihyun, keeping his eyes on the two henchmen. 

“That’s the problem” Kihyun was surprised his voice came out so evenly, “I’m not trying to win I’m trying to live.” He shrugged his shoulders at the look Yun was giving him. “You want to reign so badly but you never will because there’s always going to be people like me, people who will do the right thing.” Like a weird switch the bald male’s face changed. “There is no right thing! What has the right thing got you! Nothing!” His face looked like he was enraged but his henchmen didn’t even flinch. Hyunwoo shifted and seemed to peer at Kihyun. “How would you know?” Kihyun asked calmly. The room felt tense now as Yun and Kihyun eyed each other. Yun glared at him, “I tried just like you. I broke my back to make it work.” He spit out his words like venom. Kihyun had to pause to consider what he said. So maybe he wasn’t always a criminal? 

“It doesn’t matter anyways you won’t survive much longer sticking your nose out.” Yun switched back to eerie calm and Hyunwoo snorted. “You must be older than you look” The taller male spoke behind his mask catching the attention of the men, “Do you think I’d let him walk in here for fun? That I would walk in here with nothing on my plate?” Kihyun peered at Hyunwoo and back at Yun. “I have it all now. It took awhile but I have everything.” Hyunwoo tilted his head to the side and watched the emotions flicker across Yun’s face. “Your Detective was very helpful in that department.” Hyunwoo finished with a quiet chuckle. The room fell silent now. Kihyun could feel the pressing weight of anxiety on his chest. 

You could hear a pin drop in that room. Both sides glaring at each other. “Kill them!” Yun’s sudden cry even startled his own men and they flinched in reaction. Hyunwoo took that opportunity to shove Kihyun hard to the side so he all but fell by a desk. The sudden onslaught of gunshots made Kihyun’s heart feel like exploding as he covered his head. He should have worn body armor or something! Where was Hyunwoo?! He curled up more as he tried to look under his own arms but the chaos in the large room made that difficult. He heard someone yell something. But he wasn’t able to figure out who it was. Kihyun managed to convince himself to lift up a little when a rough hand grabbed his hair to yank it. Kihyun hissed in pain and reflexively reached up to grab at the hand. 

In the chaos of Hyunwoo shooting back at the henchmen followed by Hoseok suddenly body slamming one from the back; Yun had wormed away. He had his hand clutching tight in Kihyun’s hair as he dragged him farther behind the desk. Kihyun felt the fear in his chest knowing Hyunwoo was distracted and the noise made it almost impossible to hear. Then sudden rage took over Kihyun’s mind and body. He twisted himself forcing the hand in his hair to pull painfully. When he was turned enough he lashed out with both his hands, clawing at the older male like a bobcat. The hand released his head as Yun attempted to grab at his arms. Kihyun had enough with being thrown around. His energy came in swiftly from the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

He lunged forward at Yun who tried to hit him but merely grazed his jaw. Both men began grappling with each other as Kihyun unleashed a torrent of violence that had built up. He was going to protect his friends, he was going to protect Hyunwoo. He wasn’t letting the bad guy win this time. When Yun tried to grab ahold of Kihyun he simply lunged down and bit him hard. The high pitched scream the man made was satisfying. Kihyun tasted a warm copper in his mouth before he released him. The bald man was cursing at everything in existence as Kihyun scooted backwards away from him. He heard someone yell something and his eyes peered at a very pissed off male pointing a gun at him. 

Maybe life flashing before you wasn’t so bad. He remembered Christmas time with his parents. Baking with Minhyuk and almost destroying his mom’s kitchen, took hours to clean. He remembered Hyungwon defending him from a bully twice his size in school. Bits and pieces wove together. He squeezed his eyes shut and reminded himself that his efforts weren’t in vain anymore. Until a solid mass hit him so hard the breath got knocked out of him. He wheezed and tried to move as he caught sight of Hoseok bashing the earlier man with a chair. He’d successfully pummeled the other guy who was also nursing a bullet wound in his shoulder. That left one person. 

“Hyun-Hyunwoo!” Kihyun squeaked out from under the mass which finally shifted with a pained hiss. Kihyun shoved at Hyunwoo’s shoulders until he was able to pull himself free. The taller male had abandoned his mask and was pressing down on his own thigh with a tense jaw. Don’t faint Kihyun don’t faint. He stared at the stain of red on Hyunwoo’s jeans as his eyes burned with tears. “Fuck where’d he go?!” Hoseok’s voice made Kihyun jump as he stared at Hyunwoo. The muscular male had moved over by Hyunwoo to peer at his leg before looking around. Kihyun couldn’t focus on anything but Hyunwoo’s legs so he didn’t respond to Hoseok. 

“Ki?” Hyunwoo’s voice pushed through the agony of Kihyun’s thoughts and he managed to look at the other male with watery eyes. “I’m fine Ki.” Hyunwoo spoke quietly to Kihyun and it was like the room went quiet so he could hear his voice. “But-but you got shot-“ Kihyun stumbled through his response and felt his body began to tremble. “It’s a scratch.” Hyunwoo said with a wince but he smiled at Kihyun. A body landing hard by them made Kihyun yelp loudly in fear. The familiar bald man who started it all was laying unconscious on the floor with Hyungwon’s shoe on his back. The thump of a heavy stone falling made Kihyun stare up at his friend who dusted his hands off. “Wonnie! You were supposed to stay in the car!” The loud whining voice of Hoseok made Hyungwon glance over at the door. 

Hoseok stood in the doorway with a frown as Hyungwon shrugged. “We need to get Hyunwoo to a Doctor.” Kihyun said as he crawled closer to Hyunwoo. The taller male smiled again at Kihyun. “I called Detective Son already, he’s sending a squad car by.” Hoseok said quickly as he moved over to help Hyunwoo up who hissed in pain again. “The car is out front.” Hyungwon said as he tried to take some of Hyunwoo’s weight to help Hoseok. Kihyun breathed in and out for a moment as he surveyed the room. Hurried feet reached his ears before Minhyuk came in followed a panting Jooheon. “He did it! He got the video!” Minhyuk was excited and threw himself on to Kihyun happily. He felt weirdly numb. As if his brain couldn’t process anything. Was it really done? They had so much against Yun and him trying to kill them was another nail in the coffin. At least he hoped so. 

“Ki come on, I’m driving Hyunwoo to the hospital” Hyungwon appeared again in the doorway, “Hoseokkie is staying back to meet the police.” Minhyuk pulled Kihyun to his feet and dusted him off. “Honey and I will stay behind too with the footage from tonight.” Minhyuk offered cheerfully but Kihyun could see the strain on his face. He shuffled out to the car still in a weird daze as he climbed in to the backseat with Hyunwoo. A moment later Hyungwon climbed in and sped off. The ride was quiet with Hyungwon periodically glancing back at them. Kihyun stared at his lap quietly until a hand touched his. Sticky with blood but familiar Kihyun gripped Hyunwoo’s hand and looked at him. The taller male smiled even though he was tense. The pain was bothering him clearly. Kihyun rubbed over the back of his hand with his thumb. After a short drive thanks to speeding the two men helped Hyunwoo shuffle in to the emergency room. Detective Son met them as soon as they came in. 

His former partner was under guard right now, the entire police force was in disarray with what was happening. Detective Son looked exhausted but Kihyun saw a hopeful gleam in his eyes as he helped Hyunwoo in to a room followed by nurses. Kihyun moved to sit in the waiting room for the time being as Hyunwoo o was tended too. The quiet form of Detective Son appeared beside him, sitting down and sighing loudly. They sat side by side in silence for a few minutes. Both overwhelmed with the turn of events. “Is it over?” Kihyun asked softly. He knew the Detective heard him but he seemed to be considering his answer. “I think we have a very good chance this time.” He said with a hopeful smile now mirroring the look in his eyes. Kihyun nodded at him, “Will Hyunwoo be in trouble?” He chewed on his lip after he asked the question. “I’ll work it out for him don’t worry.” He parted Kihyun’s shoulder gently before answering his phone. The Detective excused himself and left Kihyun to think. 

—————————————————————

Hours had passed filled with a lot of questions and interviews. Kihyun sat in the dim hospital room Hyunwoo was resting in after getting his leg worked on. They managed to remove the bullet from his thigh and wanted to keep him a few days just in case. The last Detective had left an hour ago and Kihyun felt the fatigue of the evening finally wearing down on him. Kihyun had pulled a chair close to the bed to hold Hyunwoo’s larger hand. He watched the male resting quietly on the bed. Even the beeping didn’t bother Kihyun this time. He was worn out. Completely empty of everything. He wanted to sleep for a year. His thumb rubbed at Hyunwoo’s hand absentmindedly. His friends had stopped in to check on him after their own round of questioning and they appeared to be just as tired. 

There was a heavy guilt in Kihyun’s chest knowing how dangerous the whole thing was. From beginning to end. But he also knew he’d never have made it this far alone. Kihyun leaned forward to rest his forehead on Hyunwoo’s hand. Detective Son warned him that there would probably be a drawn out court case. He’d already recommended lawyers to Kihyun and his friends. Jooheon’s mastery with hacking and editing made sure everything that had gone on was justified. Granted the justice system could be a very slippery slope. And there could still be mountains of corruption to get through. He sighed softly in to the quiet room and kept his forehead on Hyunwoo hand. The warmth of it bringing a soothing calm to Kihyun’s thoughts. 

“We’ll get through this” Kihyun murmured, “Together we’ll finish this.” He closed his eyes now to rest. Soon. Soon they’d get the freedom they wanted, the chance to not be afraid of every alley. Or of someone dying. Soon.


	20. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the story, feel free to follow my twitter @InStanning c: I post update information and AU ideas

Months of court cases and testimonies could be so draining. Honestly you’d think it would be easy because they had served everything on a silver platter. But alas the defense went after everything possible. Even Hyunwoo’s record. Luckily Kihyun had an amazing track record with the community so his fierce stare down definitely made a difference. Their restaurant blossomed considerably and Kihyun almost didn’t know what to do with himself. There had been so much pain and now everything was trying to find a place. There was times Kihyun wanted to disappear but he pushed through. 

Lots of deliberation went in to the case. But after all that time, after all that energy they finally got what they needed. Each man involved was sentenced to prison. Yun got the longest sentence because he was considered the mastermind behind it all. Kihyun almost cried in relief when it was announced. By then his parents had been involved and his friends’ parents so there was a lot of hugs going around. And scolding. Kihyun was scolded a lot. Kihyun’s mom even scolded Hyunwoo. Which was kind of adorable considering he towered over her. 

It was bittersweet for Detective Son. His partner was considered a disgrace now and he was also sentenced to jail. They could all see the pain on Detective Son’s face, the agony that he had failed his younger partner. Hyunwoo consoled him as best he could but they all knew this was way out of their comfort zone. They did however make sure to send the man food often. And invited him to the restaurant as often as possible. 

—————————————————————

A cool breeze pushed away painful memories as if they’d never been. The soft, salty air filled Kihyun’s lungs and he felt a sense of peace settle over him. He walked slowly, carefully along the sand as he watched the waves move. It was neither warm nor incredibly cold at the moment. He clutched his sneakers in one hand and had rolled his jeans up to mid shin height. The sweater he wore was clearly a size too big and brushed his fingertips easily in sleeve length. His black hair was ruffled with the breeze and Kihyun inhaled once more. 

“Ki.”

A warm voice spoke near him and he smiled to himself. His eyes glanced to the right to see a tall male smiling at him. Hyunwoo’s hair was now a dark brown and styled off his head. He wore a simple jacket over his t-shirt as well as blue jeans. He moved closer to Kihyun while reaching out with a hand. “Hyunwoo I thought you were getting coffee?” Kihyun said with a brow raise as his smaller hand was engulfed in Hyunwoo’s larger one. “I missed you.” He said sweetly and his eye smile was on full display. Kihyun snorted but a grin was on his lips when he did. “Besides you look so nice I need to make sure no one tries to steal you away.” Hyunwoo said casually before kissing their entwined hands. Now Kihyun turned red and glared playfully at Hyunwoo. 

“Oh shut up.” Was all he responded which made Hyunwoo laugh. Even with all the stress and stupid fights they had over the last few months they were stronger than ever. Sometimes Hyunwoo’s leg would bother him and Kihyun would massage it gently. And when Kihyun had nightmares of death and loss he’d wake up to Hyunwoo cradling him gently. Their personalities could clash but more often than not they complimented one another. Kihyun peered at Hyunwoo as the taller male watched the waves in front of them. They finally had taken the vacation they wanted. Sure it took longer to go on than they figured but now there was no responsibilities. 

Until they went home. Kihyun did have a restaurant to run with his friends after all. “We should get groceries.” Kihyun spoke up suddenly. They stood side by side holding hands even after Kihyun had spoke. Hyunwoo sighed dramatically, “Alright let’s go.” He pouted at Kihyun who cooed at him. “You know they’ll be here soon, we need groceries for the week you grumpy bear.” Kihyun rolled his eyes and tugged Hyunwoo along. They’d rented a house for the week and of course their friends would be joining them. 

And like the motherly type that Kihyun could be he was determined to have dinner ready for them. He also knew Hyunwoo was secretly looking forward to that. “Hyunwoo?” Kihyun said quietly. He heard the taller male hum in acknowledgment. “I love you.” He said and felt Hyunwoo’s grip tighten on his hand. “I love you too Ki, always.”

—————————————————————

Hyungwon had long since grown used to all the flashes going off around him. His long legs moved him swiftly around a runway. Back straight and chin raised just slightly to show off his elegant neck. He could do this with his eyes closed. He loved wearing beautiful clothing even if it got exhausting after awhile. The quick changes were anything but gentle usually. His hair was slicked off his face and his eyes lined dramatically. This was his last show for the week before he got to rest so he put all his energy in to it. The multitude of flashes that went off constantly meant his efforts were appreciated. 

After one more turn around and polite bow at the end he found himself in a changing room. Peeling off the tight, expensive clothes piece by piece. He pulled a soft, cashmere sweater over his torso and slipped his legs in to tight skinny jeans. He fluffed at his hair before slipping his feet in to shoes and grabbing a leather bag that he tossed over his shoulder. Upon exiting he was surrounded by reporters and other models who all spoke animatedly to him. While he politely nodded his eyes searched around until he found him. 

Hoseok stood away from the chaos with his black hair off his forehead. He had on a black v-neck shirt that clung to all his muscles. A leather jacket was over it and his black jeans had rips all over them. His head cocked to the side as he eyed Hyungwon from where he stood. The smirk that played across his lips made Hyungwon’s heart flutter. He could see Hoseok’s tattoos peeking out of his shirt near his collarbones and Hyungwon had to sudden urge to explore them. Again. For the hundredth time. 

Hyungwon politely pushed his way out of the stampede of people, ignoring their questions and propositions as he walked quickly to Hoseok. Luckily his long legs made that possible. He grinned at the muscular male who still had a smirk on his lips. But Hyungwon could see the tender, loving look that was in his eyes. He reached both hands out to cup Hoseok’s cheeks and pressed his lips softly against the other’s. He heard Hoseok hum as he kissed him back. “You look so handsome.” Hoseok’s whisper made Hyungwon grin widely again. “I should hope so.” He replied casually and brushed a hand through his hair again. He saw Hoseok glancing over his shoulder at all the people before a hand very firmly gripped Hyungwon’s butt. 

He jumped and looked at Hoseok who wagged his eyebrows at him. “You’re lucky you’re hot.” Hyungwon sniffed and smiled in pleasure as a muscular arm wrapped around his waist. “What I like touching you is all.” Hoseok responded innocently. “The flight leaves in two hours let’s go baby.” Hoseok murmured to Hyungwon who looked excited suddenly. Hoseok kept his arm wrapped around Hyungwon’s waist and they both left the venue hosting the show happily knowing they’d see their friends soon. 

—————————————————————

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

A worried looking Jooheon peered at his mother who had her arms crossed over her chest. Though sick often with a weakened immune system she still looked fierce with her eyes shaped like Jooheon’s. His younger siblings giggled and played while watching the exchange. “Sweetheart I told you we will be fine.” His mother raised a brow at Jooheon who still looked entirely unconvinced. “But what if there isn’t enough food...” Jooheon mostly muttered but his Mom heard him. “My Jooheonnie I love you and all you do for us” His mother spoke calmly, “But you need to have a life too, now go with that cute boyfriend of yours and have fun.” She waved a hand at Jooheon as he protested before getting him out the front door. 

As Jooheon picked up his duffel bag he spied the neighbor next door coming home, she’d often check on his siblings while he worked. She also kept an eye out for his mom. He looked at her for a moment and she winked at him which made his chest fill with relief. He quickly scampered down the stairs in his apartment building and spotted a white haired male leaning casually against a car. He had sunglasses on and a button up shirt. His legs were encased in fitted jeans and he smiled when he saw Jooheon. 

“Honey!” Minhyuk called out and waved wildly. “Hey Minnie.” He blushed as he replied and cursed his face. Would he ever not blush in front of Minhyuk? The older male smiled and hugged him as soon as he was close enough. “I’m so excited to go to the beach with you!” Minhyuk’s enthusiasm was contagious and even Jooheon was grinning widely. They threw his bag in the back with Minhyuk’s before climbing in to the car. “Did you put all the food in the fridge my honey?” Minhyuk asked Jooheon as they buckled up. He nodded at the other, “Thank you for that.” He replied softly. 

Minhyuk seemed to study him before unbuckling long enough to lean up and kiss Jooheon hard. It startled Jooheon only for a second and he returned the kiss eagerly. After a few seconds Minhyuk leaned back with a shy smile, “I’d do anything for you honey.” He murmured and Jooheon was pretty sure his heart was going to explode. They buckled their seatbelts again and Minhyuk reached over to gently hold Jooheon’s closest hand. They both shared a grin again as Jooheon slipped on his own pair of sunglasses. The radio was cranked up high and the two men sang loudly as they drove off. Knowing they’d get to spend a week together and with their best friends. 

Life has become so wonderful.


End file.
